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WebstGf  Farmlv  Uhnr^  of  Veterinary  IWedfete 
Cummir.:,.  "'^'">iafy  MedidnQeS 


20 V  ,  -lOad 


PRACTICAL 


HORSEMANSHIP 


BY 


W.   A.   KERR,    V.C, 


FORMERLY  SECOND   IN   COMMAND  OF  THE  2ND   REGIMENT 
SOUTHERN   MAHARATTA   HORSE. 


ILLUSTRATED, 


NEW    YORK: 
FREDERICK   A.  STOKES  COMPANY. 

MDCCCXCI. 


■OS 


PREFACE 


England  has  the  credit  of  being  a  nation  of  horsemen. 
To  any  such  specialite  our  countrymen  have  no  vaUd  claim. 
Half  an  hour's  stroll  in  the  Park,  or  a  few  minutes'  loll 
over  the  rails  by  Rotten  Row,  will  convince  any  capable 
equestrian  that  this  popular  belief  is  not  founded  on  fact, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  palpable  fallacy.  During  the 
London  season,  and  out  the  of  season,  some  of  the  worst, 
as  well  as  some  of  the  best,  riding  in  the  world  is  displayed. 
Before  the  Crimean  War  our  cavalry  rode  very  indifferently, 
so  much  so  that  Napoleon  the  Great  is  reported  to  have 
said  that  did  he  possess  our  horses,  he  could  readily  beat 
our  men.  But  we  have  changed  all  that.  Of  hard-riding, 
bold-riding,  and  rough-riding  we  could  always  boast,  but 
with  us  the  nia?iege  (derived  from  the  Latin  words,  niainis^ 
'•  the  hand,"  and  ago,  "  to  do,  or  act '')  was  never  popular. 
A  national  failing  is  to  "  talk  horse,"'  but  a  large  majority 
are  supremely  ignorant  on  the  subject,  and  {^w  and  far 
between  are  those  who  can  be  termed  inamis  agere,  or 
skilful  to  handle.     Among  us  are  not  a  few  who,  in  the 


vi  PREFACE. 


words  of  Punch.,  are  "  the  fattiest  men  on  an  'oss,  and  the 
'ossiest  men  on  fut."  The  proportion  of  Enghshmen  and 
Englishwomen,  of  the  upper  and  middle  classes,  who  have 
any  practical  knowledge  of  horses  and  their  management, 
in  and  out  of  the  stable,  is  really  very  small.  MiHtary 
statistics  show  that  the  lower  strata  of  society  are  not  any 
better  acquainted  with  the  noble  animal,  for  out  of  the 
seven  hundred  recruits,  who  last  year  joined  one  of  our 
principal  cavalry  depots,  only  one  individual  had  ever,  prior 
to  taking  the  Queen's  shiUing,  ridden  a  horse. 

That  the  English,  Scotch,  and  Irish  can  justly  boast  a 
natural  love  for  the  horse  cannot  be  denied.  Our  instinctive 
desire  to  be  his  master,  our  aptitude  to  accommodate 
ourselves,  to  some  exclusive  extent,  to  his  ways,  and  a 
facility  of  acquiring  the  art  of  riding  him,  are  possessed 
by  us  as  by  no  other  nation.  Though  we  do  not  make 
him,  with  true  Arab  zest,  the  omnipresent  partner  of  our 
occupations,  and  part  and  parcel  of  our  history,  still  he, 
more  than  any  animal  under  the  dominion  of  man,  occupies 
our  thoughts  and  is  our  constant  theme.  We  have  seen 
exhibitions  of  horsemanship  by  the  Bedaween  of  the 
desert,  by  the  famed  Tungustanee  horse,  by  the  pick  of 
the  Maharatta  and  Mogulai  so\\2iXs,fa7itasias  executed  by 
the  swarthy  riders  of  the  Sahara ;  we  have  witnessed  feats 
in  the  saddle  by  the  Gaucho  and  the  Cow-boy,  but,  with 
the  exception  of  our  own  colonial  kith  and  kin — the 
Australian  stockman — none  can  compare  with  the  finished 
horseman  of  these  isles ;  and  no  woman,  save  and  except 
H.I.M.  the  Empress  of  Austria  and  her  sister  the  ex-Queen 


PREFACE. 


of  Naples,  looks  so  well  outside  her  horse,  or  manages  him 
with  such  perfect  ease,  as  the  fair  daughter  of  Albion, 
Scotia,  or  Erin. 

We  do  not  pretend  to  teach  riding,  as  some  medicos 
profess  to  cure,  by  written  instructions.  The  equestrian 
art  is  no  more  to  be  acquired  by  the  sole  means  of  printer's 
ink  and  the  artist's  pencil — even  one  so  deft  as  that  of 
Miss  Sophy  Turner — than  are  painting,  sculpture,  or 
fencing.  All  we  aim  at,  in  these  few  pages,  is  to  give  the 
tyro,  and  those  whose  faults  need  correction,  some  useful 
wrinkles  as  aids  in  the  application  and  development  of  the 
practical  tuition  which  must  be  undergone. 

There  are  in  London,  and  in  a  few  of  our  fashionable 
watering-places,  riding-schools  where  civilians  can  receive 
sound  instruction,  and  which  have  all  the  advantages  of 
capacious  covered-in  rides;  but  we  are  not  all  dwellers  in 
towns.  [Moreover,  much  is  to  be  learnt  out  of  school  by 
close  observation  of  proficients,  and  by  putting  into  prac- 
tice at  home  the  few  hints  contained  in  these  pages. 
When  the  reader  is  in  the  vicinity  of  a  garrison  town  at 
which  a  regiment  of  cavalry  is  stationed,  or  near  to  a 
cavalry  depot,  an  introduction  to  the  officer  commanding 
should  be  sought,  who,  the  applicant  finding  his  own  horse, 
might  be  disposed  to  permit  of  his  joining  "  the  ride." 

The  art  of  equitation,  as  now  taught  in  the  British  army, 
is  of  the  highest.  Harshness  and  undue  severity  are  no 
longer  permitted  in  the  military  school ;  the  lessons  are  pro- 
gressive and  thoroughly  explained  by  question  and  answer ; 
the   muscles,  by  an  admirable   system  of  gymnastics  and 


VHl  PREFACE. 


physical  drill,  mounted  and  dismounted,  are  by  degrees  deve- 
loped and  hardened;  the  height  and  weight  of  the  recruit 
are  added  to,  and  his  chest  measurement  greatly  increased. 
Great  stress  is  laid  on  the  necessity  of  avoiding  any  such 
rough  forcing  treatment  as  is  likely  to  create  nervousness 
or  beget  want  of  confidence.  The  introductory  lessons  are 
short,  and  only  the  quietest  and  most  sedate  horses,  animals 
thoroughly  broken  to  their  work,  are  the  novice's  first 
mounts.  The  result  of  this  carefully  thought-out  and  excel- 
lent system  is  that  our  men  are  well  down  in  their  saddles 
in  an  easy,  natural,  and  strong  position,  understand  the 
different  "  aids,"  and  can  use  their  weapons  with  good 
effect.  The  seat  of  the  trooper  is  now  a  near  approach 
to  what  is  understood  by  "the  hunting  seat,"  a  combination 
of  ease  and  flexibility,  in  which,  as  aptly  described  by  Sir 
Francis  B.  Head,  Bart,  "  the  knees  form  the  pivot,  or  rather 
hinge,  the  legs  beneath  them  the  grasp,  while  the  thighs^ 
like  the  pastern  of  a  horse,  enable  the  body  to  rise  and 
fall  as  lightly  as  a  carriage  on  its  springs."  Our  gallant 
Six  Hundred,  who  perpetrated  that  magnificent  folly  the 
death-ride  of  Balaclava,  with  their  upright  balance  "fork" 
seats,  would,  with  all  their  devoted  heroism,  have  found  it 
impossible  to  go  in  and  out  of  a  road  in  line^  negociating 
the  stiff  fences  on  either  side,  without  drawing  rein  or 
without  emptying  a  saddle.  And  yet  this  feat  was  per- 
formed by  one  of  our  regiments  during  last  autumn 
manoeuvres  without  the  slightest  hesitation,  though  this 
'•  double  event"  would  have  sent  many  a  so-called  hunting 
man  skirtin?  round  bv  "  shufiler's  bottom." 


PREFACE.  IX 


Whenever  a  man  presumes  to  give  advice,  or  to  pose 
as  an  instructor,  he  lays  himself  open  to  the  charge  of 
egoism  and  arrogance  unless  he  can  adduce  valid  reasons 
for  fancying  himself  qualified  for  such  a  task.  In  this 
instance  the  writer,  possessed  of  a  stable  mind  from  his 
boyhood  upwards,  can  fairly  lay  claim  to  many  years  of 
practical  experience  as  an  owner  of  all  sorts  of  horses, 
as  an  amateur  trainer,  and  as  a  not  unsuccessful  gentle- 
man-rider on  the  flat,  over  hurdles,  and  "between  the 
flags."  In  old  Deccan  days  of  ''  saddle,  spur,  and  spear," 
when  men  rode  hard  over  a  break-neck  country  for 
"  first  blood,"  many  a  grim-grey  boar  has  fallen  to  his 
hog-spear.  As  adjutant  and  second  in  command  of  a 
smart  cavalry  regiment,  he,  as  in  duty  bound,  has  imparted 
the  art  of  equitation  to  many  a  score  of  as  good  light- 
horsemen  as  ever  drew^  sabre  or  charged  home.  The 
remarks  on  horse-buying,  suggested  by  the  author's  some- 
what lengthy  and  wide  experience,  may  put  intending 
purchasers  on  their  guard,  save  much  disappointment  and 
serious  loss,  and,  at  the  same  time,  help  to  mount  them 
to  their  satisfaction.  The  subjects  of  ''  Driving,"  and 
''Stable-management,"  are  reserved  for  subsequent  volumes. 

In  these  pages — all  too  few  for  the  demonstration  of 
an  art  in  which  perfection  is  seldom  attained — the  writer 
addresses  himself  to  three  classes  of  those  who  prefer  to 
take  exercise  on  four  legs: — Firstly,  to  those  who  never 
have  ridden  at  all ;  secondly,  to  those  who  having  ridden 
a  little  are  secretly  convinced  that  they  are  but  at  the 
bottom  rung  of  the  ladder ;   thirdly,  to  those  who  having 


PREFACE. 


ridden  a  good  deal,  and  that  very  badly,  are  willing  to 
"climb  down,"'  to  take  a  back  seat,  and  to  commence 
de  novo. 

The  first  attribute  of  a  good  horseman,  or  horsewoman? 
is  courage  or  nerve ;  the  next,  hands  and  seat.  It  has  been 
said  that  about  four-fifths  of  the  art  depend  on  attaining 
a  just  seat,  and  the  balance  on  the  possession  of  light 
hands.  But  there  are  other  essentials  which  are  treated 
of  in  the  body  of  the  volume.  The  reader  will  please  bear 
in  mind  that  perfection  is  not  to  be  attained  without  long 
and  continuous  practice  on  all  sorts  of  horses,  and  that 
there  is  a  vast  difference  between  riding  and  being  carried. 
It  can  only  be  said  of  few  that — 

"  He  grew  unto  his  seat ; 
And  to  such  wond'rous  doing  brought  his  horse. 
As  he  had  been  incorps'd  and  demy-natur'd 
With  the  brave  beast."— (^aw/t'/.) 

Very  reluctantly,  in  some  cases  of  persistent  vice,  the 
author  has  suggested  drastic  measures  and  severe  correc- 
tion. "  He  that  spares  the  rod  spoils  the  child,'"'  is  a  true 
maxim  too  little  applied  in  these  superficial  days  of  cram  ] 
then  again,  "  A  merciful  man  is  merciful  to  his  beast.'"' 

W.  A.  K. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  -  PAGE 

I.     Introduction  ...  ...  ...  ...  i 

II.     Choice  of  a  Horse  ...  ...  ...  ...      ii 

III,  Action  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  30 

IV.  Practical  Hints  :  Mounting,  37 — Mounting  with- 

out Stirrups,  43 — The  Seat,  47 — The  Aids,  53— 
The  Walk,  59— The  Trot,  67— The  Canter,  72— 
The  Gallop,  77 — Dismounting,  80 — Spurs,  81 — 
Leaping,  85 

V.     Teaching  the  Young  Idea  ...  ...  ...  loi 

\T.  Vice:  Rearing,  116— Kicking,  120 — Sticking-up, 
or  Reesting,  124 — Shying  and  Starting,  127 — 
Buck-Jumping  and  Plunging,  131 

VII,  Bits  and  Bitting     ...  ...            ...            ...            134 

VIII.  Saddlery             ...            ...  ...            ...            ...     153 

IX.  Hints  on  Costume    ...  ...            ...            ...            167 

X.  Hints  on  Buying            ...  ...            ...            ...     169 

XI.  Shoeing        ...            ...  ...            .,.            ...            181 

XII.  Some  Random  Wrinkles  ...            ...            ...     201 


6 

LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

"  Khated,"  an  Anglo-Arabian  ...            ...     Fro7itispiece 

The  Points  of  a  Horse      ...            ...  ...            ...              13 

"Speed  of  Thought,"  a  High-Caste  Arabian...            ...      22 

Mounting — Four  Positions              ...  ...          37,  39,  40j  4^ 

The  Hand  and  the  Reins          ...  ...            ...              385  63 

Mounting  without  Stirrups — 

Three  Positions     ...  ...            ...         44,  45,  46 

The  Trot  ...            ...            ...            ...  ...            ...             68 

How  Not  to  Canter     ...            ...  ...            ...            ...       73 

The  Right  Sort     ...            ...            ...  ...            ...              85 

A  Workman      ...            ...            ...  ...            ...            ...      94 

Instructed  and  Uninstructed  Method      ...  ...            102 

Saddles             ...            ...            ...  ...          107,  154,  155,  156 

With  and  without  Attachment  ...            ...    165,  166 

Rearing             ...            ...            ...  ...            ...           117,  119 

Kicking      ...            ...            ...            ...  ...            ...    121,  123 

The  Last  Resource      ...            ...  ...            ...            ...     132 

Bits             ...            ...            ...            ...  139,  141,  147,  151,  152 

Bolted              ...           ...           ...  ...           ...            ...     167 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

A  WORK  entitled  ^'A  Guide  to  Health  and  Long  Life" 
says :  "  In  general  it  may  be  laid  down  as  a  rule  that 
ridhig  is  the  best  exercise  for  regaining  health,  and  walking 
for  retaining  it."  Why  not  preserve  a  juste  inilieu^  ride  a 
good  deal,  walk  a  good  deal,  and  banish  the  doctor  ?  Riding 
certainly,  in  the  most  effectual  manner,  strengthens  the 
stomach  and  intestines,  and  is  less  tiresome  and  laborious  to 
the  lower  limbs  than  walking,  so  that  persons  in  a  weak 
condition  of  health  can  take  horse-exercise  with  less  pain  or 
difficulty.  Both  body  and  mind  are  enlivened  by  riding. 
Sir  Philip  Sidney  wrote  :  "  You  will  never  live  to  any  age 
without  you  keep  yourself  in  health  with  exercise,  and  in 
heart  with  joyfulness ;  "  and  a  medical  aphorism  says  :  "  The 
grand  secret  (of  health)  seems  to  be  to  contrive  that  the 
exercise  of  the  body  and  that  of  the  mind  may  serve  as 
relaxations  to  each  other."  Ye  who  have  experienced  the 
indescribable  elasticity  and  happiness  of  a  morning  gallop 
on  Newmarket  Heath,  the  Downs,  or  some  other  expanse  of 
sound  turf,  with  a  free-going  horse  under  you,  ''  who  looked 


HORSE  MA  NSHIP. 


as  though  the  speed  of  thought  were  in  his  limbs,"  breathing 
the  pure  bracing  atmosphere  of  a  summer's  early  morn,  tell 
me  what  is  more  exhilarating,  what  so  exquisitively 
refreshing  ? 

Give  me  a  noble  steed  of  stainless  purity  of  breed,  his 
limbs  fashioned  fair  and  free  in  nature's  justest  symmetry, 
one  that  can  travel  far  and  fast,  untiring  as  the  ship  on  the 
sea,  a  crisp  keen  air,  then  begone  melancholy,  a  fig  for  dull 
care,  throw  medicine  to  the  dogs  !  Who  among  us,  when 
the  hot  blood  of  youth  galloped  through  his  veins,  has  not 
felt 

"  The  joy,  the  triumph,  the  delight,  the  madness, 
The  boundless,  overflowing,  bursting  gladness," 

when  the  hounds  throw  their  tongues  sharp  and  quick, 
the  gorse  bends,  quivers,  and  cracks  again,  and  a  varmint 
racing-like  wild  Hector,  accepting  notice  to  quit,  flashes 
from  the  cover  and  bravely  faces  the  open?  Better  this 
than  all  the  cunningly  compounded  pick-me-ups  of  the 
Materia  Medica. 

No  one  should  attempt  to  acquire  the  art  of  riding — for 
it  is  an  art,  and  a  very  high  one— simply  because  it  is  the 
correct  thing  to  do.  There  must  be  a  natural  ^'hankering 
after  it,"  a  desire  to  emulate  the  prowess  of  some  acknow- 
ledged artist  in  the  saddle.  Three  things  are  all  but  indis- 
pensable to  the  tyro  who  aims  at  perfection — courage, 
temper,  firmness.  Without  the  first  he  will  lack  confidence, 
and  this  want  of  courage  the  horse  speedily  finds  out  and 
presumes  on.  A  bold  determined  rider  imparts  those 
qualities,  in  most  instances,  to  the  animal  under  him,  and, 
vice  versa,  timidity  is  transmissible.  The  horse's  instinct  is 
very  keen ;  he  is  not  long  in  finding  out  whether  he  has  a 
man  or  a  ''muff'"'  on  him.    Temper  and  patience  are  synony- 


INTRODUCTION. 


mous  terms ;  without  them  the  pupil  can  neither  be  taught 
himself  nor  impart  instruction  to  his  horse.  Temper  im- 
plies the  exercise  of  discretion  and  judgment.  Though  we 
are  opposed,  as  a  rule,  to  the  force  cofitre  force  system,  there 
are  occasions  when  firmness,  in  combination  with  courage 
and  patience,  can  alone  establish  the  mastery  of  man,  and 
these  must  be  brought  into  play  in  the  case  of  vicious,  stub- 
born animals. 

As  an  example  of  temper  in  combination  with  Job-like 
patience  and  firmness,  and  an  illustration  of  the  saying,  "  all 
things  come  to  him  who  waits,"  I  may  instance  the  treat- 
ment by  which  a  well-known  Yorkshire  breeder  and  breaker 
— one  who  always  broke-in  his  own  colts— cured  a  stubborn 
and  by  no  means  uncommon  case  of  muHshness.  Riding  a 
colt  one  day,  about  noon,  the  colt  reested^  i.e.  obstinately 
refused  to  turn  out  of  the  road  that  led  to  his  stables.  He 
reared,  whipped  round,  kicked,  plunged,  stuck  his  toes  firmly 
in  the  ground,  backed  into  the  ditch,  and  otherwise  behaved 
himself  unseemly.  Many  a  man  would  have  administered 
severe  punishment,  and  have  endeavoured  to  exorcise  the 
demon  of  contrariness  by  free  application  of  the  Newmarket 
fiogger  and  the  Latchfords.  Our  friend's  creed  was  the 
siiaviter  in  inodo,  spiced  with  patient  determination.  After 
exhausting  every  method  of  kindness  and  encouragement 
he  determined  to  "  sit  it  out,"  so,  bringing  the  disobedient 
youngster  back  to  the  point  of  disputed  departure  he  halted 
him  there,  sitting  in  his  saddle  as  immovable  as  one  of  the 
mounted  sentries  at  the  Horse  Guards,  or  the  Duke  of 
Wellington  at  Hyde  Park  Corner.  At  the  end  of  an 
hour's  anchorage  a  fresh  essay  to  make  the  pig-headed  colt 
go  in  the  way  it  should  go  resulted  in  a  renewed  exhibition 
of  rearing.  Observing  a  lad  passing  at  the  time,  the  deter- 
mined tyke  ordered  him  to  go  to  his   wife  and  tell   her 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


to  send  his  dinner  to  the  cross  roads,  for  there  he  meant 
to  remain  out  all  night  and  the  day  following  if  need  be. 
The  repast  duly  arrived  and  was  despatched  on  the  animal's 
back.  Another  effort  was  but  a  fresh  failure,  so  the 
statuesque  weary  wait  was  resumed,  and  the  veteran  breaker 
sat  again  for  hours  immovable.  Here  was  the  living  exem- 
plification of  Patience  on  a  monument.  With  the  setting 
sun  came  the  horseman's  supper,  still  not  a  move,  and  the 
sturdy  yeoman  prepared  to  make  a  night  of  it.  In  due 
course  his  top-coat  and  a  stiffly  mixed  "  neet-cap  "  arrived. 
Whether  or  no  the  colt  divined  the  meaning  of  these 
campaigning  arrangements  deponent  sayeth  not,  anyhow, 
his  master  had  hardly  donned  the  one  and  swallowed  the 
other  when  the  quadruped,  with  one  long  sigh,  one  that 
nearly  carried  the  girths  away^  all  his  obstinacy  evaporated, 
and  thoroughly  defeated,  relieved  himself  from  his  post  and 
quietly  walked  down  the  road  in  the  direction  he  had  so 
long  protested  so  firmly  against.  The  lesson  was^  a  per- 
manent one ;  it  took  some  eight  hours  in  the  teaching,  but 
lasted  a  life-time — he  never  "  stuck  up"  again. 

Horse-breaking  or  horse-taming  are  very  much  and  very 
eff'ectually  understood  and  taught  by  Professor  Sydney  Gal- 
vayne,  the  Australian  expert,  whose  extensive  establishment 
at  the  Model  Farm,  Neasden,  London,  N.W.,  is  well  worthy 
of  a  visit.  The  story  I  am  about  to  relate  refers  to  that 
master-of-the-horse's  struggle  with,  and  victory  over,  that 
concentrated  essence  of  equine  ferocity^  the  Clydesdale  sire, 
"Lord  Lyon,"  a  horse  of  fine  breeding,  magnificent  physique, 
power,  and  action,  and,  but  for  his  fiendish  temper,  as  grand 
a  specimen  of  his  race  as  has  been  produced.  Some  of  my 
readers  may  have  heard  of  the  vicious  General  Chasse,  the 
combative  Alarm,  the  well-named  Phlegethon — he  of  the 
heUish  temper,  of  Cruiser,  and  other  man-eaters,  but  all  com- 


INTRODUCTION. 


Lined  were  harmless,  well-disposed  turtle  doves  as  compared 
with  this  Scottish  specimen  of  downright  devilry.  Only  three 
or  four  weeks  previous  to  meeting  the  professor  in  the  ring, 
his  lordship  would  have  worried  a  man  to  death  had  not 
his  owner  emptied  the  right  barrel  of  his  gun  right  into  the 
savage's  face,  knocking  his  off  eye  out  and  otherwise  damag- 
ing his  truculent  visage.  The  loss  of  this  optic  did  not  im- 
prove the  murderous  brute's  look,  and  when  Mr.  Galvayne 
first  exchanged  looks  with  the  ferocious  stallion  he  must 
have  felt  something  as  Sir  Charles  Napier  did  when,  un- 
armed, he  faced  the  glare  of  the  tiger.  "Why  surely  that 
brute  must  be  out  of  devil's  dam,"  muttered  one  horsey  on- 
looker as  the  splendid  savage,  led  by  four  men,  each  holding 
on  to  a  long  and  strong  tow  rope,  came  plunging  into  the 
marquee.  But  before  he  had  time  or  opportunity  to  indulge 
in  any  of  his  antics  the  tamer  had  him  in  his  meshes,  he 
was  "  Galvayned  " — a  sort  of  Scottish-maiden  process,  only 
to  be  learned  by  attending  its  inventor's  classes — and  to 
some  extent  powerless.  The  writhings  of  the  demon  during 
his  first  lesson  might  have  been  compared  to  the  contortions 
of  the  vast  python  when  Waterton  took  him  by  the  throat 
in  his  hollow  den.  If  the  Australian  had  thrown  away  the 
glimmer  of  a  chance  he  would  have  been  savaged.  Had 
Lord  Lyon  got  him  fairly  down,  with  firm  teeth-hold,  then 
"  not  the  gaunt  Hon's  hug,  the  boa's  clasp,"  would  have  been 
more  deadly.  Completely  frenzied,  roaring  like  a  hungry 
lion,  his  solitary  eye  gleaming  with  passion,  the  Clydesdale 
put  forth  all  his  might,  he  struck  out  in  front  like  a  prize- 
fighter. 

''  His  ears  laid  back ^  his  tangled  \\2ing\ng  mane 

Upon  his  compound  crest  now  stands  on  end  ; 
His  nostrils  drink  the  air,  and  forth  again 
As  from  a  furnace  vapours  doth  he  send." 

(Shakespeare,  j-Z/^cr/^Z/^' a//(?;r^.) 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


Many  a  horse,  in  stable  parlance,  is  said  "  to  kick  himself 
straight,"  but  this  unruly  patient  lashed  out  with  the  vigour 
and  activity  of  a  thoroughbred,  reaching  far  above  his  o\vn 
great  height.  In  response  to  j\Ir.  Galvayne's  order,  an 
assistant  stepped  into  the  ring  to  wipe  Lord  Lyon  down,  for 
the  struggle  between  man  and  beast  had  been  so  long  and 
severe  that  the  perspiration  was  flowing  freely  on  either  side. 
A  scream  of  rage,  followed  by  one,  two,  straight  from  the 
shoulder,  sent  the  well-intentioned  servitor  flying  out  of  the 
ring.  Though  at  one  time  it  seemed  likely  that  the  two 
hundred  spectators,  professor,  his  assistants,  and  even  the 
marquee  itself  would  disappear  in  the  struggle,  what  can 
stand  before  ''  science's  wondrous  wand" ?  At  length  victory 
declared  for  the  system;  for  a  time,  at  least,  his  lordship 
accepted  defeat,  and,  turned  loose,  followed  his  conqueror 
sullenly  round  the  ring,  stopping  and  turning,  with  no  good 
grace,  to  the  word  of  command.  'Twas  but  a  patched-up 
truce,  for,  after  submitting  to  be  put  once  or  twice  through 
his  facings,  he  once  more  broke  out  with  all  his  savagery, 
refused  to  obey,  and  then  rushed  open-mouthed  at  his 
adversary,  intent  this  time  on  forcing  the  fighting.  Rearing 
up,  he  threw  himself  on  his  man,  and  got  him  down.  Though 
unprepared  for  this  sudden  act  of  rebellion,  j\Ir.  Galvayne 
never  lost  his  nerve  or  presence  of  mind,  and,  from  the 
ground,  landed  the  aggressor  a  terrific  cut  from  his  whip 
across  the  nose.  This  saved  his  life,  for  it  turned  the  brute 
aside.  On  his  feet  in  an  instant  and  at  work  again,  the 
Australian,  nothing  daunted,  flogged  the  horse  round  the 
ring.  Again  the  infuriated  animal  came  at  him,  full  of  mis- 
chief, only  to  be  met  by  severe  punishment,  which  seemed 
to  take  the  steel  out  of  him.  He  obeyed  the  mandate  to 
step  back,  and  was  forced  to  retreat  at  the  word  of  command, 
finally  leaving  the  tent,  on  his  best  behaviour,  led  by  one 


INTRODUCTION. 


man,  and  he  a  stranger.  Next  day,  beyond  a  few  feeble 
kicks,  he  exhibited  no  trace  of  vice,  backed  twice  the  whole 
circle  of  the  ring,  refused  to  attack  though  challenged  by 
the  whip  being  flourished  in  his  face,  and  returned  to  his 
stable  a  conquered  horse.  Never  was  victory  more  complete 
or  more  hardly  earned.  At  one  time  the  victor  only  escaped 
by  "  the  skin  of  his  teeth."  Here,  then,  is  a  galvanic  com- 
bination by  which  a  horse  with  the  worst  reputation  for  vice 
in  the  United  Kingdom,  one  so  essentially  dangerous  be- 
cause of  his  variable  moods,  and  one  possessed  of  a  legion 
of  devils,  was  reduced  to  reason  and  usefulness.  Previous 
to  being  operated  on  by  the  deft  tamer,  Lord  Lyon,  when 
the  dark  fit  was  on  him,  would  walk  clean  through  the  walls 
of  his  box  and  worry  at  large.  The  colt  and  the  mature 
horse  were  both  cured,  but  by  widely  different  methods; 
that  of  the  East  Riding  breaker  would  have  had  little  effect 
on  the  Clydesdale,  in  fact,  he  would  have  dined  and  supped 
off  his  rider,  Before  quitting  this  subject,  I  desire  to  register 
my  opinion  that  no  horseman's  education  can  be  considered 
complete  till  he  has  thoroughly  mastered  Mr.  Galvayne's 
excellent  systems  of  training  and  general  management  of 
the  horse.  They  are  based  on  "science  and  humanity"  v. 
"ignorance  and  barbarity;"  on  the  possession  of  a  little 
common  sense  plus  the  knowledge  of  how  to  apply  it. 
They  work  in  the  case  of  untractable  animals  what  Moham- 
med termed  "a  goodly  thorough  reformation,"  and  con- 
siderably shorten  the  colt's  curriculum  of  training,  to  the 
conservation  of  legs,  temper,  and  constitution. 

There  are  three  roads,  or  methods,  by  which  a  man  pos- 
sessing the  attributes  I  stipulate  for  may  become  an  adept 
in  the  art  of  horsemanship.  The  first  is  by  putting  the  boy 
from  his  earliest  days  on  the  donkey  or  pony,  and  allowing 
him  to  tumble  about  till  practice  gives  a  firm  seat,  probably 


HORSEMANSHIP, 


good  hands,  and  an  insight  into  the  various  ways  and  tricks 
of  horses.  It  has  been  contended  that  this  early  tuition  or 
practice  is  needless,  and,  in  some  cases,  positively  harmful. 
Needless,  because  some  of  the  finest  riders  the  world  has 
ever  produced  knew  little  or  nothing  of  the  art  in  their 
nursery  or  even  schoolroom  days ;  harmful,  because  at  that 
tender  age,  the  back  is  weak  and  the  spine  liable  to  injury. 
The  cases  of  the  Empress  of  Austria  and  her  sister,  the  ex- 
Queen  of  Naples,  both  magnificent  horsewomen,  are  cited 
by  those  who  oppose  the  lessons  of  early  age,  for  neither  of 
these  skilled  ladies  rode  much  before  attaining  womanhood. 
The  Arabs  have  a  saying  that,  "  the  lessons  of  infancy  are 
engraved  upon  stone,  the  lessons  of  ripe  age  pass  away  like 
birds'  nests ; "  and  despite  the  prowess  of  these  royal  dames 
and  others,  male  and  female,  whose  names  might  also  be 
quoted  as  examples,  I  maintain  that  the  schooling  should 
commence  with  the  "  ride-a-cock-horse-to-Banbury-cross," 
first  on  the  father's  crossed  leg,  then  on  his  shoulders,  and 
so,  by  degrees,  in  front  of  his  saddle.  By  this  means  all 
nen^ousness  at  being  hoisted  high  in  the  air  is  overcome ; 
the  rough,  bucking,  bounding  motion  becomes  a  positive 
delight,  and  the  flaccid  infantile  muscles  are  taught  to  grip 
and  hold  on.  This  is  the  time,  and  these  are  the  means, 
by  which  to  eradicate  the  germs  of  nervousness  and  to 
create  nerve.  We  all  know  how  passionately  fond  children 
are  of  their  ponies,  and  how  they  seem  to  cleave  unto  them 
above  all  other  pets  or  toys ;  how  they  clamour  each  for 
their  turn  for  a  ride.  By  degrees  we  promote  the  two  and 
three  year  olds  to  the  backs  of  donkeys  or  preferably  of 
some  very  quiet,  well-trained,  grass,  7iot  corii-fed,  ponies,  till 
at  about  six  years  old  we  find  them  so  grounded  in  the  rudi- 
ments that  they  may  then  be  taken  in  hand  and  properly 
instructed.     My  first  task,  therefore,  will  be  to  teach  the 


INTRO  D  UCTION. 


young  idea  how  to  sit  firm,  how  to  acquire  that  natural 
adaptation  to  every  movement  of  the  animal  under  him, 
which  constitutes  perfect  balance,  and  how  to  handle  his 
reins. 

The  second  mode  is  that  of  mounting  the  tyro  on  a 
perfectly-trained  horse,  and  step  by  step  leading  him  on  till, 
aided  by  practice  in  the  riding  school  or  under  a  quaUfied 
out-of-door  instructor,  such  proficiency  may  be  attained  as 
is  necessary  for  amusement,  or  even  show,  air,  and  exercise, 
or  all  four  combined.  A  graceful  seat  may  be  insured,  and 
good  hands  acquired,  but  long  and  continuous  practice  on 
every  variety  of  horse  will  alone  entitle  the  pupil  to  call  him- 
self a  *' horseman."  Artistic  riding  implies  something  more 
than  mere  boldness  and  the  ability  to  charge  an  ox  fence,  or 
'•go  in-and-out-clever;"  it  means  the  mesmeric  influence 
— the  brain,  the  eye,  the  nerves,  the  muscles,  all  unconsciously 
acting  on  the  aids  together — of  the  man  guiding  and  bend- 
ing the  horse  to  his  will  without  seeming  effort.  Those 
among  us  who  may  be  termed  "  fair  riders  "  are  numerous. 
One  may  make  a  good  show  on  a  well-broken  hack  in  the 
park,  another  may  ride  well  to  hounds,  a  third  may  distin- 
guish himself  "between  the  flags"  or  "on  the  flat,"  but  to 
excel  in  all  is  given  to  but  very  few.  The  pupil  who  has 
commenced  late  in  life  will  always  find  it  difficult  to  throw 
off  a  certain  riding  school  mannerism  unless,  so  soon  as  a 
safe  firm  seat  has  been  secured,  the  lessons  are  continued 
on  horses  all  differing  in  temper  and  action.  Learning  and 
diversity  of  practice  should  go  hand  in  hand. 

We  now  come  to  the  third  method,  which  is  the  easiest 
to  the  instructor.  We  have  now  to  deal  with  boys  who 
have  never  ridden.  A  hard  plucky  boy  is  pretty  sure  to 
make  an  apt  pupil.  The  material  to  work  on  is  good,  and, 
with  the  help  of  a  little  encouragement,  sticking-plaster,  and 


lo  HORSEMANSHIP. 


some  bruise  lotion,  will  bear  a  lot  of  knocking  about. 
Nobody  cares  much  if  he  gets  a  purler,  and,  if  of  the  right 
"  grit,"  he  less  than  anybody  else.  His  bones  are  not  suffi- 
ciently set  to  break,  he  falls  light,  and  is  accustomed,  after 
the  fashion  of  our  English  playing  fields,  to  "  rough  and 
tumble."  All  lads,  however,  are  not  fashioned  in  the 
Spartan  mould,  many  are  nervous  and  timid,  requiring 
gentle  handling,  constant  encouragement,  and  every  device 
that  may  inspire  confidence.  With  such  a  one  the  lessons 
must  be  short  and  on  the  quietest  of  ponies,  undue  straining 
and  fatigue  being  carefully  avoided — in  a  word,  he  must  be 
"  coaxed  "  into  the  saddle.  An  over  modest,  retiring  dispo- 
sition is  often  mistaken  for  timidity,  but  by  judicious 
management,  confidence  in  himself  and  his  powers  may  be 
established.  IMany  a  youngster,  who  in  his  early  days  has 
been  known  as  a  "  sap  "  and  a  "  muff,"  has  developed  into 
a  good,  if  not  first-class  horseman,  and  in  the  sterner  realities 
of  war  has  won  an  enviable  reputation  at  the  cannon's  mouth. 
In  either  case  there  is,  happily  for  the  instructor,  nothing 
to  be  unlearned,  no  bad  habits  to  eradicate. 

In  these  days  of  ceaseless  travel,  colonization,  restless- 
ness, and  general  going  to  and  fro,  men  cannot  say  when 
they  may  not  be  called  upon  to  ride  great  distances  on 
half-broken  horses.  They  may  unexpectedly  find  them- 
selves mounted  on  an  Australian  buck-jumping  Brumby, 
careering  on  the  South  African  veldt,  bestriding  a  fresh- 
caught  South  American  mustang,  climbing  Judah's  hills  on 
some  sure-footed  Syrian,  scouring  ''Hagar's  desert,  Ishmael's 
plains,''  carried  by  a  true-bred  Khailan  of  the  Anezeh,  or 
taking  "  a  breather  "  over  the  Toorkoman  steppes,  rejoicing 
in  the  untiring  powers  of  a  staunch  little  Bedevi,  the  pride 
of  some  Yomut  nomad.  We  Britishers  might  aptly  be 
claimed   as    "the   tribe   of  the   wandering   foot,"   for   the 


CHOICE   OF  A   HORSE.  11 

migratory  instinct  is  dominant  in  the  race.  We  are  ever 
seeking  "  fresh  woods  and  pastures  new."  For  those  whose 
fortune  it  is  to  live  at  home  in  ease,  riding  may  be  regarded 
as  a  luxury,  and  not  a  necessity ;  but  to  others — military 
men,  Indian  and  other  civilians,  whose  lot  is  cast  beyond 
these  pleasant  shores,  and  Colonials — it  is  a  something  that 
must  be  learnt  as  thoroughly  as  possible. 

I  conclude  my  "preliminary"  by  quoting  from  one  of  the 
most  perfect  horsemen  of  bygone  times,  His  Grace  of 
Newcastle  :  ''  Those  things  which  to  you,  perhaps,  seem  not 
very  concise,  but  too  proHx,  might  if  shorter  have  left  you 
in  darkness ;  whereas  you  (will)  have  now  a  full  sunshine  to 
look  on  you  with  the  splendour  of  the  knowledge  of  horse- 
manship. This  art  does  not  consist  only  in  study  and 
mental  contemplation,  but  in  bodily  practice  likewise.  You 
ought  to  be  well  informed  that  the  art  of  horsemanship 
cannot  be  collected  together  in  a  proverb,  in  a  short 
aphorism,  or  reduced  to  a  syllogism,  or  brought  into  a 
little  compass  as  the  poesy  of  a  ring;  nor  can  there  be 
one  universal  lesson,  as  many  desire  this  art.  For  my  part, 
I  am  very  sure  there  is  nothing  universal  in  horsemanship, 
nor  in  anything  else  I  know." 


CHAPTER   H. 

CHOICE    OF    A    HORSE. 

If  a  man  merely  desires  to  ride  for  amusement,  for  air  and 
exercise,  or  for  the  mere  "  pomp  and  circumstance  "  of  the 
thing,  he  can,  always  providing  he  has  a  long  purse  and 
a  thoroughly  dependable,  competent  judge  at  his  elbow, 


t2  HORSEMANSHIP. 


generally  mount  himself  to  perfection.  Despite  the  un- 
equal distribution  of  capital  in  this  little  world  of  ours,  the 
"  honest  broker,"  the  man  with  the  special  knowledge,  who 
makes  his  friends'  or  employers'  interests  his  own,  is  a  rarer 
article  than  even  the  big  available  balance  at  the  bankers'. 
Still,  this  rara  avis  is  not  yet  so  extinct  as  the  dodo.  !Many 
of  us,  far  too  many,  alas  !  though  suffering  keenly  from  that 
aurl  sacra  fames  which  we  are  never  able  to  satisfy  or  even 
to  take  the  edge  off,  are  blessed  with  more  dimes  than  dollars. 
To  those  who  cannot  at  any  moment  draw  a  big  cheque  at 
sight,  and  who,  like  myself,  want  a  very  good  horse  for  very 
little  money,  I  mainly  address  myself. 

When  writing  of  hacks  I  do  not  use  the  term  as  indicative 
of  inferiority,  nor  do  I  refer  to  the  wheel-like  actioned 
hackneys  or  roadsters  of  Norfolk,  Yorkshire,  and  often  of 
somewhere  else  beyond  the  eastern  shores  of  these  islands 
— a  blend  of  the  true  old  ^Marshland  Shales  stock  with  a 
blend  of  the  carty  element,  hardened  by  an  occasional  dash 
of  the  thoroughbred  to  "  revivify  the  flame  and  bid  it  burn 
afresh."  When  freely  fortified  by  blood,  these  hackneys, 
those  bred  in  the  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire  especially,  make 
excellent  hacks  for  heavy  and  elderly  gentlemen,  with  whom 
a  good,  quiet,  weight-carrying  cob,  incapable  of  tripping, 
and  able  to  walk  five  miles  an  hour,  fair  "  heel  and  toe," 
without  suspicion  of  run  or  amble  is  a  pearl  of  price.  But 
it  is  the  thoroughbred,  or  very  nearly  so,  cantering  and 
galloping  hack,  not  this  conglomerate,  that  I  have  in  my 
mind's  eye,  and  that  I  would  put  the  reader  on. 

To  enjoy  one's  self  thoroughly  one  must  study  one's  ease. 
Captain  Percy  Williams's  "  bone-setting,"  liver-shaking,  stir- 
rupless  rides  from  Hounslow  to  Hyde  Park  Comer,  to  which 
I  call  attention  hereafter  (p.  52),  were  excellent  in  their  way, 
and  strongly  to  be  recommended  as  a  means  to  the  end  he 


CHOICE    OF  A   HORSE. 


14  HORSEMANSHIP. 


aimed  at,  but  what's  wanted  in  Rotten  Row  or  elsewhere  in 
a  perfect  riding  horse  are  good  looks,  together  with  quality, 
manners,  and  smooth  easy  action.  Nicely  reined  in,  he 
should  go  neatly,  lightly,  and  quite  within  himself.  Such 
a  horse  is  deceptive  as  to  pace,  and  goes  much  faster  than 
he  appears  to  do,  stealing  over  the  ground  apparently  with- 
out an  effort.  Placing  his  fore  legs  well  in  front  of  him, 
without  any  rounding  or  climb  of  the  knee,  no  "fighting 
the  air,"  the  racing-like  sweep  of  his  powerful  well-gathered 
haunches  gives  him  a  stride  and  pace  that  smothers  any 
plodding  half-bred  labouring  by  his  side.  I  would,  for  my 
own  riding,  fix  the  standard  of  such  a  horse  at  fifteen  hands, 
and  certainly  no  more ;  but  I  stand  barely  five  feet  eight 
and  a  half  inches  under  the  standard. 

The  horse  and  his  rider  should  be  proportionate  in  height, 
conformation,  and  power  one  to  the  other.  To  my  eye  a 
little,  stubby,  thickset  man  perched,  "like  a  tom-tit  on  a 
round  of  beef,"  on  a  sixteen  hands  animated  clothes-horse 
sort  of  an  animal  is  a  very  offensive  object  to  contemplate. 
A  long,  lanky,  spindle-shanked  rider  bestriding  a  podgy 
little  hog-maned  cob,  his  spur-garnished  heels  almost  touch- 
ing the  ground,  is  another  object  I  abhor.  A  big  burly 
fellow  crushing  a  light-framed  blood  "  tit "  under  his  elephan- 
tine proportions  is  enough  to  make  an  angel  weep.  Picture 
the  Claimant  on  a  Shetland  or  New  Forest  pony,  or  General 
Tom  Thumb  outside  the  stalwart  Harold  of  Calwich  and 
Islington  fame.     Such  incongruities  must  be  tabooed. 

My  horse  should  be  neat  and  pretty  rather  than  handsome 
and  of  grand  physique,  beautifully  balanced  and  moulded,  a 
patrician  from  head  to  heel.  I  would  have  him  of  the  high 
caste  Arabian  type,  his  head  the  index  of  his  blue  blood,  a 
level  croup  set  off  by  a  switch  tail  carried  away  from  his 
buttocks  with  that  arch  peculiar  to  the  azeel  horse  of  the 


CHOICE   OF  A   HORSE.  15 


desert.  The  drop  of  the  hind  leg  may  be  straightish,  and 
a  somewhat  long  cannon  bone  with  a  shorter  radius  will 
qualify  his  daisy-cutting  proclivities.  He  should  be  long  in 
proportion  to  his  height,  that  length  made  out  by  the  distance 
of  the  elbow  to  the  stifle,  from  the  back  of  the  wither  to 
the  point  of  the  shoulder,  from  the  hipbone  to  the  extremity 
of  the  haunch.  These  salient  points  give  strength,  propell- 
ing power,  and  freedom  of  action.  In  his  walk  he  must 
step  gaily  and  lightly,  placing  his  hind  foot  well  in  front  of 
the  imprint  of  the  fore ;  so  free  his  action  that  the  slightest 
indication  of  the  "  aids  "  shall  set  him  instantly  into  an  eight 
to  twelve  miles  an  hour  out-and-on  trot,  or  into  an  easy 
collected  placid  canter.  To  top  up  all,  he  must  carry  his 
handsome  blood  head  in  its  proper  place,  and  have  so  sensi- 
tive and  obedient  a  mouth  that  he  answers  to  the  slightest 
touch  of  the  helm  and  can  go  handsomely  in  a  packthread. 
Such  a  delightful  hack  costs  money;  but  to  those  who 
know  where  to  go  for  animals  of  this  class  in  the  rough,  and 
possess  the  requisite  skill  to  teach  them  manners  and  to 
put  the  polish  on,  there  is  no  necessity  for  great  outlay. 
There  are  numbers  of  young  thoroughbreds  troubled  with 
that  incurable  disease,  "  the  slows,"  to  be  picked  up  by 
people  on  the  spot.  Owners  do  not  care  to  keep  them,  and 
trainers,  wanting  their  stalls  and  boxes  for  horses  endowed 
with  racing  speed,  insist  on  getting  rid  of  them.  Many  of 
these  would,  if  put  aside  for  a  year  or  two,  in  able  hands, 
come  up  to  the  fancy  picture  I  have  drawn.  Their  main 
fault  is  a  too  great  breadth  of  chest,  which  militates  against 
speed,  but  this  conformation,  desirable  in  the  hack,  is 
generally  accompanied  by  a  churn-shaped  barrel,  a  certain 
indication  of  a  good  feeder  and  of  a  good  wear-and-tear 
constitution.  A  blood  horse  is  always  up  to  a  stone  or  two 
more  weight  than  his  build  indicates, 


1 6  HORSEMANSHIP. 


When  the  purchaser  desires  to  invest  in  a  horse  to  both 
hack  and  hunt,  he  must  content  himself  ^\ith  something  less 
showy,  of  more  decided  points,  and  more  of  the  general- 
purpose  type.  The  breeding  may  be  as  high,  in  fact  in  our 
grass  counties,  with  their  big-acre  fields,  large  fences,  and 
racing  packs  of  hounds,  blood  is  a  sine  qua  non.  The  fifteen 
hands  horse  will  carry  his  rider  brilliantly  in  a  small  cramped 
countr}^,  or  over  the  high  banks  and  steep  hills  of  Wales 
or  West  of  England,  where  one  verging  on  sixteen,  with  his 
scope  and  stride  would  come  to  grief;  or  would,  better  than 
his  big  brother,  rattle  up  and  down  the  Surrey  and  Sussex 
slopes  and  downs.  But  if  a  man  means  to  keep  with  hounds 
over  "  the  Turkey  carpet "  of  Great  Britain — Leicestershire 
— and  to  take  those  ready-made  graves,  those  bull-finchers, 
oxers,  and  other  big  obstacles  in  his  stride,  then  he  must 
have  not  only  a  high-bred,  but  a  fifteen-three  horse  under 
him. 

There  are,  as  I  have  said,  many  counties  in  which  the 
pocket  Hercules  will  force  the  galloper  whose  name  figures 
in  the  Stud  Book,  to  strike  his  flag;  but  for  "the  Siiires," 
there  must  be  height  with  scope,  and  especially  so  if  the 
owner  desires  to  find  a  purchaser.  One  of  the  best  hunters 
that  ever  looked  through  a  bridle  was  the  famous  "Jack 
Russell's"  equally  famous  pony,  "Billy,"  the  produce  of 
a  two-year-old  grass  colt,  a  grandson  of  "Eclipse"  and  an 
Exmoor  pony  mare.  But  Dartmoor  is  not  the  ^Midlands, 
and  though  the  clerical  Nimrod's,  nndtum  in  parvo,  could 
gallop  all  day  over  those  hea^7  moorlands,  and  jump  boun- 
dary fences  big  enough  to  stop  anything  but  the  wild  stag, 
he  would  not  have  shone  in  the  Shires.  Like  the  blood 
hack,  the  hunter  should  be  faultless  in  front  of  the  saddle. 
When  a  happy  medium  between  the  two  is  aimed  at,  the 
rounded   beauty  must   give   place  to  a  deeper  girth,  still 


CHOICE   OP  A   HORSE.  I7 


stronger  loins,  longer  arms,  shorter  cannons,  big  angular 
knees  and  hocks ;  the  finished  prettiness  to  a  certain  rough- 
and-readiness ;  the  light  sprightly  action  to,  what  the  Ameri- 
cans term  "vim" — the  equivalent  of  our  words  "go"  and 
''power" — the  taking  front  action,  though  still  active  and 
clear  of  the  ground,  to  be  supplemented  by  the  evidence  of 
enormous  propelling  power  behind  and  lifting  capacity  in 
front. 

The  hack  first  spoken  of  should  ''hardly  break  an  egg 
if  he  trod  on  it,"  but  this  general-purpose  hack  and  hunter 
combined  must  unite  show  with  utility,  some  of  the  former 
ingredient  being  sacrificed  to  add  force  to  the  latter.  In 
the  hack,  the  trot,  walk,  or  canter  are  the  only  really  im- 
portant paces,  but  the  hunter  must  be  handy  over  all  sorts 
of  ground  at  the  gallop,  and  should  be  all  action  though 
with  nothing  flashy  about  it.  Much  as  I  object  to  the 
steep  quarter  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  "  goose-rumped " 
droop  of  croup  and  angularity  of  hip,  ugly  as  it  undoubtedly 
is,  gives  greater  leverage  when  high  timber  or  stone  walls 
have  to  be  jumped.  Persons  in  search  of  such  horses  as 
these  will  do  well  to  attend  the  annual  sales  of  the  Compton 
Stud  Company,  held  in  September,  at  Sandley,  Gillingham, 
Dorset,  at  which  establishment  carefully  selected  blood  sires 
are  mated  with  approved  mares. 

At  the  end  of  the  season,  when  all  London  goes  out  of 
town,  or  pretends  to,  many  of  the  park  hacks  are  sent  to 
Tattersall's  to  be  sold  without  reserve.  In  the  highlands 
or  on  the  continent  Lady  Plantaganeta  Vere  de  Vere  does 
not  ride,  and,  of  course,  Mrs.  Ponsonby  de  Tomkyns,  the 
wife  of  "somebody  in  the  City,"  follows  suit.  The  riding 
horse,  often  a  really  good  specimen,  purchased  at  great  cost 
and  sometimes  with  judgment,  is  put  down.  As  with  the 
ladies  so  with  the  men.     The  Duke  of  Broadacres  sends 


1 8  HORSEMANSHIP. 

his  animal  to  Albert  Gate  and  Mr.  Lombard's  pays  a  visit 
to  Knightsbridge,  also  to  emerge  therefrom  under  new 
ownership.  There  need  be  no  blind  buying  here,  for  the 
constant  visitor  to  the  Row  of  a  forenoon  must  have  seen 
the  identical  hacks  ridden  day  after  day,  and  must  have  had 
ample  opportunity  of  pretty  correctly  reckoning  them  up. 
When  on  the  day  of  sale — bidding,  of  course,  through  some 
one  who  knows  the  ways  of  the  professional  hahitucs — if  some 
fashionable  West  End  or  Paris  dealer  appears  "  fond,"  the 
bidder  may  safely  go  on.  Perhaps  from  the  two  and  a  half 
months'  constant  bucketing  up  and  down  that  monotonous 
ride  the  horse  may  be  a  little  stale,  but,  if  he  be  young,  and 
passes  the  vet,  a  few  shoeless  weeks  in  a  cool  roomy  covered- 
in  yard,  with  a  bite  of  green  food,  will  soon  freshen  him  up 
and  restore  his  action.  At  the  end  of  the  racing  season  at 
Newmarket  a  lot  of  very  useful  cobs  are  annually  sold.  If 
a  man  is  a  really  good  judge,  or  can  enlist  in  his  service 
one  who  is,  there  is  no  better  place  to  pick  up  a  good 
horse  than  at  the  numerous  fairs  throughout  the  United 
Kingdom,  and  the  further  he  goes  afield  the  better  his 
chance  of  suiting  himself  at  a  moderate  price. 

We  now  come  to  the  Cob,  which,  if  a  safe,  handy,  symme- 
trical, and  gentlemanly  animal,  light  in  hand,  and  active, 
and  of  good  colour,  is  one  that,  as  the  dealers  say,  "keeps 
the  money  together."  There  must  be  nothing  of  the  polo, 
or  of  any  other  pony,  about  him,  neither  must  he  be  a 
dwarfed  thoroughbred,  but  a  cob  pure  and  simple ;  such  a 
one  as  was  "  Sir  George,"  and  is  "  Little  Wonder  of  Rig- 
maden  Park,"  Mr.  IMorton's  "Sir  Gibbie,"  Mr.  W.  Burdett 
Coutts's  "Tommy,"  or  Mr.  C.  E.  Cooke's  '^  Cassius."  A 
coarse  carty-looking  cob  gives  one  the  idea  of  an  under- 
sized agricultural  horse.  Now  that  the  ItaHan  and  other 
governments   so    extensively   patronize   pedigree    hackney 


CHOICE   OF  A   HORSE.  19 


stallions,  and  that  they  are  being  "boomed"  in  the 
United  States,  where  one  hackney  used  to  be  bred  we  have 
now  a  dozen.  Breeders  appear  to  be  sacrificing  power 
and  the  old  thickset  build  to  lightness  and  quality.  The 
shows  so  much  patronized  by  those  who  want  to  make 
a  name  to  attract  foreign  buyers,  by  others  who  have 
something  to  sell,  mainly  fostered  by  parvenus,  whose  sole 
aim  is  to  keep  themselves  right  in  the  eye  of  the  gullible 
public,  do  not  show  that  we  are  making  any  improvement. 
The  best  horse  at  Islington  was  passed  over  the  other  day 
because  "  the  runner "  who  showed  him  knew  not  the  art 
of  bringing  out  his  magnificent  action,  the  premier  prize 
going  to  a  horse  that  is  decidedly  weak  behind. 

The  correct  type  cob  should,  for  easy  mounting,  be  about 
fourteen  hands  high,  must  have  a  sweet  head — many  of 
these  hackneys  and  roadsters  have  beautiful  Arab-like  heads 
— perfect  shoulders  and  legs,  long  straight  quarters,  and  a 
great  deal  of  substance.  I  have  seen  many  such,  admirable, 
jaunty,  and  pleasant  walkers,  a  few  easy  trotters,  though 
generally  with  round  wheel-like  action,  but  only  one  or  two 
able  to  canter  fairly  well.  The  only  hackney  with  good  hind 
galloping  action  I  have  seen  is  "  Dr.  Syntax."  It  has  often 
struck  me  that  the  mating  of  an  Arab  sire,  one  with  action, 
such  as  Colonel  Willoughby's  "  Elston,"  now  standing  at 
Murrel  Green,  Wincfield,  Hants,  with  the  old-fashioned 
thick-set  hackney  mare  would  be  productive  of  the  best 
results. 

The  game  of  polo  and  the  rage  for  galloway  and  pony 
racing,  both  on  the  flat  and  over  hurdles,  has  created  a 
demand  for  quite  a  different  cob  from  that  we  have  just 
referred  to.  These  bantamized  racers  take  us  back  a 
century  or  more  to  the  days  of  "the  little  gray  horse" 
"  Gimcrack."     Judging  from  an  engraving  now  before  me, 


20  ilORSEMANSHlP. 


this  miniature,  muscular,  firmly  knit,  and  active  racer  must 

be  the  model  our  polo-pony  breeders  are  endeavouring 
to  breed  up  to.  Making  due  allowance  for  the  lack  of 
anatomical  knowledge  in  the  animal  limner  of  those  days, 
this  remarkable  son  of  the  Godolphin  Barb  must  have  pre- 
sented the  beau  ideal  of  a  racing  galloway.  Irrespective 
of  his  great  weight-carrying  powers,  marvellous  staunchness, 
and  hardness  of  constitution,  he  was  considered  to  be  so 
perfect  a  model  that  his  last  proprietor  left  him  for  a  length 
of  time  at  Tattersall's  for  pubHc  inspection. 

In  running  these  galloways  —for  it  is  a  misnomer  to  term 
them  ponies — it  is  found  that  blood  alone  can  ensure  their 
success.  Many  of  them  are  undersized  thoroughbreds,  and 
as  such  are  very  hot  and  strongheaded.  These  blood-cobs 
are  in  every  way  qualified  to  make  perfect  hacks,  and  in 
addition  are  superlatively  good  hunters  for  boys.  Those 
not  quite  fast  enough  for  racing,  and  not  handy  enough  to 
play  polo  well,  are,  as  often  as  not,  the  best  on  the  road,  in 
the  park,  or  in  the  hunting-field.  A  smart  racing  galloway 
or  polo  player  commands  a  high  and  increasing  figure.  A 
year  ago,  when  the  i6th  Lancers  were  ordered  on  foreign 
service,  two  hundred  and  seventy  guineas  were  given  for 
one  pony^  and  some,  the  property  of  ofticers  of  the  nth 
Hussars,  sold  at  public  auction  on  the  eve  of  the  corps 
sailing  for  South  Africa,  changed  hands  at  a  still  longer 
price.  Fashion,  without  valid  reason  as  usual,  has  decreed 
that  these  beauties  should  be  smartened  up  by  having  their 
manes  hogged.  The  vile  disfigurement,  in  the  case  of  a  too 
light  or  a  ewe  neck  only  accentuates  the  deformity.  Though 
quite  as  well  able  as  my  neighbours  to  maintain  my  seat  in 
the  saddle  without  extraneous  aid,  I  am  free  to  confess  that 
not  once  or  twice,  but  scores  of  times,  has  a  grip  on  the 
mane  saved  me  from  a  fall.    Under  no  circumstances  should 


CHOICE   OF  A   HORSE. 


this  mutilation  be  countenanced.  For  docking,  in  the  case 
of  some  harness  horses,  there  may  be  some  excuse ;  but 
for  this  senseless  barbarism,  which  serves  no  purpose,  there 
is  absolutely  none.  Having  already  stated  my  opinions  on 
the  just  proportion  between  the  horse  and  his  rider,  I  will 
only  add  that  these  miniature  blood  horses  should  only  be. 
ridden  by  medium-sized  men.  Some  of  them  carry  young 
ladies  to  perfection,  but  they  lack  the  height  necessary  to 
carry  a  full-grown  eqtiestrienne, 

Ofttimes  and  many  have  I  been  accused  of  being  afflicted 
with  the  Arab  craze.  To  the  accusation  I  plead  guilty 
without  extenuating  circumstances.  Having  had  as  much 
and  more  to  do  with  pure-bred  horses  of  the  silent  desert 
than  most  men  not  of  Ishmaelitish  lineage,  I  hold  the  tough 
Arab  fibre  in  the  highest  esteem.  I  am  convinced  that  in 
the  black  tabernacles  of  the  Bedaween  of  the  Maha  Rania 
exists  the  horse  in  the  perfection  of  his  beauty  and  pride. 
The  difficulty  is  to  get  really  good  specimens  of  the  highest 
pedigree.  Only  two  faults  can  be  found  with  the  Arabian 
for  park  and  road  riding — viz.  that  for  general  purposes  he 
lacks  height,  seldom  being  found  over  14  hands  3  inches 
high ;  and  that  he  is  a  careless  walker,  given  to  tripping. 
Those  now  being  bred  in  this  country  are  rapidly  acquiring 
increased  stature,  and  with  the  change  of  habitat  they 
appear  to  lose  this  slovenly  habit.  In  the  face  of  persistent 
opposition  this  terse,  active,  and  altogether  delightful  little 
horse  is  rapidly  winning  his  way  into  favour.  "The  value 
of  a  thing  is  exactly  what  it  will  fetch"  is  an  old  axiom. 
A  few  years  back  I  have  seen  Arabs  sold  at  Tattersall's  for 
a  few  sovereigns,  but  now  anything  worth  looking  at  readily 
fetches  ;£"i2o  and  upwards.  Their  intrinsic  value  will  be 
ascertained  when  the  results  of  their  unions  with  approved 
weight-carrying,  blood,  and  three-parts  bred  mares  appear 


22 


HORSE  MA  NSHIP. 


CHOICE   OF  A   HORSE.  23 


on  the  market.  We  shall  then  go  back  to  those  times  when 
the  choice  potent  blood  flowed  in  a  broad  full  stream^  and 
our  thoroughbreds  so-called — we  have  never  yet  been  able 
to  boast  the  possession  of  an  absolutely  pure  thoroughbred 
— were  for  all  purposes,  save  "sprinting,"  superior  to  any- 
thing we  now  possess. 

The  description  of  the  horse's  hoof  in  Isaiah,  "  their 
horses'  hoofs  shall  be  like  flint,"  is  true  to-day  of  the 
Arabian's,  which  is  as  hard  as  the  nether  millstone.  In 
him  strength  and  beauty  have  met  together. 

The  Barb  lacks  the  harmonious  beauty  and  truthful 
balance  of  the  Arab.  He  is  often  fifteen  hands  and  over, 
has  a  lean,  bony,  and  often  somewhat  plain  head,  with  thin 
compressed  lips,  a  small  mouth,  a  large  expressive  eye, 
calm  in  repose^  but  full  of  courage  and  flash  when  roused_,  a 
strong,  arched  neck,  short  back,  broad  loins^  and  generally 
beautiful  shoulders.  A  steep  quarter,  meanly  set  on  tail, 
light  thighs,  and  "  cat  hams "  dwarf  his  hind  quarters, 
giving  an  appearance  of  an  exaggerated  forehand;  but 
these  defects  are  more  than  compensated  for  by  his 
undeniable  vigour,  stamina,  and  endurance.  He  is  more 
leggy  than  his  first  cousin  of  "Hagar's  desert,  Ishmael's 
sands,"  and  his  feet  are  not  so  well  formed  and  regular,  but 
his  limbs  are  very  strong  and  are  everlasting  wear.  In 
point  of  strict  utility  he,  when  pure,  is  quite  on  a  par  with 
the  Arab.  Up  to  the  reign  of  Muley  Mahomed,  son  cf 
Muley  Abderrhaman,  about  a.d.  1775,  the  Government  of 
Morocco  provided  each  country  village  with  a  pure-blooded 
stallion,  of  which  the  owners  of  mares  had  free  use  for  stud 
purposes.  Since  that  Sultan's  death,  however^  this  useful 
custom  has  been  discontinued  and,  consequently,  the 
quality  of  the  horses  has  deteriorated  to  such  an  extent  that 
it  is  difficult  to  find   one   of  pure  blood.     Moreover,  the 


24  HORSEMANSHIP. 


exportation  of  horses  is  hampered  by  such  heavy  duties 
that  permission  to  take  them  out  of  the  country  is  illusory. 
Doubtless  in  the  royal  stables  there  are  some  fine  specimens. 
The  Emir  Abd-el-Kader  of  Algiers,  when  at  the  height  of 
his  power,  defending  his  native  land  against  the  armies  of 
France,  inflicted  the  punishment  of  death,  without  mercy, 
on  any  Moslem  convicted  of  selling  a  horse  to  the 
Christian. 

About  foreign  horses  I  shall  have  little  to  say.  Many  of 
those  now  sold,  both  for  riding  and  driving,  are  what  we 
term  "  soft  foreign  substitutes."  One  very  nice  stranger,  for 
young  ladies'  riding  especially,  is  the  real  Spanish  jennet. 
Under  the  ?^Ioresco  Khalifat  the  commercial  enterprise  of 
the  Arabs  knew  no  bounds.  In  those  warlike  times  richly 
caparisoned  horses  of  the  purest  blood  were  the  most 
acceptable  royal  gifts,  and  to  the  stables  of  the  Kalifs  of 
Cordova,  Toledo,  Seville,  Valencia^  jMurcia,  and  Badajos, 
during  the  rule  of  the  Moslem  on  the  Siberian  peninsula, 
came  the  very  pith  and  marrow  of  Mesopotamia,  Nejd, 
Morocco,  and  Tunis.  The  royal  farms  of  the  Alham.bra 
were  the  breeding  grounds  of  the  finest  and  purest  blood 
horses  of  the  Orient.  Granada,  the  Damascus  of  Spain, 
enjoys  a  climate  akin  to  that  of  "  the  eye  of  the  East,"  the 
oldest  city  in  the  world.  In  the  true  Andalusian  jennet's 
veins  runs  a  stream  in  which  mingles  some  of  the  bluest 
blood  of  Asia  and  Africa.  He  is  a  gentleman  every  inch  of 
him,  small  and  pretty,  graceful  and  easy  in  his  paces, 
carries  his  dapper,  well-bred  head  handsomely  in  the 
proper  place,  and  is  gifted  with  a  good  mouth.  There  is 
not  much  of  him,  but  what  there  is  is  good  and  comely, 
quite  the  animal  to  catch  the  eye  and  win  the  affections  of 
a  young  lady  or  an  Eton  boy. 

Some  of  the  half-bred  French  Arabs,  from  Arab  sire  and 


CHOICE   OF  A   HORSE.  25 

well-bred  mares,  make  excellent  hacks  and  are  hardy. 
Austria,  Hungary,  and  Poland  all  furnish  their  quota  of 
horses  bred  on  similar  lines,  and  Italy,  if  not  already  in  the 
field,  will  soon  be  catering  for  our  wants.  Of  late  years  she 
has  been  our  largest  and  best  customer  for  thoroughbred 
and  hackney  sires,  buying  only  the  best,  regardless  of  cost. 
In  securing  choice  specimens  of  the  azeel  Arab  the  Italian 
agents  have  been  peculiarly  fortunate.  One  of  the  most 
beautiful  ponies  I  ever  had  was  a  Sardinian,  evidently  full 
of  Arab  blood.  In  the  vicinity  of  Pisa,  at  Babericina,  the 
Newmarket  of  Italy,  and  at  San  Rossore,  on  the  Arno,  the 
beautiful  pine-clad  estate  of  the  king,  which  skirts  the  Medi- 
terranean for  sixteen  miles^,  and  rejoices  in  a  dry  sandy  soil, 
and  mild,  healthy,  and  constant  climate,  are  three  large 
studs  with  two  thousand  five  hundred  horses.  In  them  is  to 
be  found  the  English  thoroughbred  and  the  Arab  in  great 
perfection ;  the  beautiful  well-knit  Melton,  the  winner  of  the 
Derby,  a  prize-fighter  from  head  to  heel,  and  the  purest 
Anezeh  being  found  side  by  side. 

In  Poland,  mainly  in  the  Government  of  Wolthymia,  the 
Count  Branitzky,  and  Counts  Joseph  and  August  Potocki, 
and  others  of  the  nobility  have  inherited  from  their  ancestors 
studs  of  pure  Arabs  in  which  the  true  types  and  strains  of 
blood  have  been  carefully  and  jealously  maintained.  These 
horses  have  earned  for  themselves  a  very  high  reputation  ;  a 
pair,  owned  by  the  late  Lord  Lyons,  the  British  Ambassador 
at  Paris,  enjoying  the  reputation  of  being  the  handsomest  in 
the  Bois.  The  climate  and  generous  keep,  added  to  the 
careful  system  of  selection  practised  by  these  intelligent 
breeders,  and  by  those  to  whom  they  succeeded,  have  added 
considerably  to  the  bulk  and  height  of  these  Arabians. 
Price  alone  stands  in  the  way  of  their  free  introduction  to 
our  stables,  for  they  are  as  clever  under  the  saddle  as  in 


26  HORSEMANSHIP. 


harness.  The  Orlov,  another  horse  of  Arabian  descent, 
though  not  pure,  owing  to  an  admixture  of  Dutch  Friesian, 
is  essentially  a  harness  horse,  and  in  American  hands  would 
be  a  trotter.  There  is  nothing  in  the  German  bred  horse  to 
recommend  him  to  my  readers. 

Ponies  of  all  sorts  come  to  us  from  abroad.  Hungary, 
Russia,  Norway,  and  Iceland,  each  contribute  in  ever- 
increasing  numbers,  and  now  that  Shetlanders  are  eagerly 
sought  after  by  our  wealthy  American  cousins,  and  have 
risen  greatly  in  price,  we  may  expect  still  heavier  importa- 
tions. Of  these  diminutive  animals  few  are  good,  many 
indifferent,  most  unfit  for  anything  save  the  coal-mine  and 
the  costermonger's  cart  or  barrow.  AVhen  we  consider  the 
cost  of  freight,  risks  by  sea  and  land,  and  the  low  price  at 
which  these  little  slaves  are  purchased  here,  the  wonder 
is  what  must  be  their  cost  in  their  native  pastures.  It  is 
easy  to  distinguish  these  half-starved  uncouth  strangers  from 
the  ponies  of  these  Isles.  Ere  long,  however,  the  ex- 
aggerated droves  or  mobs  of  the  New  Forest — where 
overstocking  and,  during  the  winter,  cruel  neglect  bordering 
on  almost  absolute  starvation,  is  rapidly  ruining  this  once 
famous  breed — the  ponies  at  the  royal  grazing-demesne 
must  lose  their  neat  finish.  At  no  distant  date  they  may 
become  as  common-looking  and  plebeian  as  the  products  of 
the  coarse  wershy  pastures  of  the  inclement  North  or  of  the 
Danubian  marshes.  Under  the  influence  of  the  American 
"  boom,"  and  with  such  men  as  the  Marquess  of  London- 
derry, the  Earl  of  Zetland,  and  others  interested  in  the  Shet- 
land breed,  there  is  no  fear  of  its  deterioration.  Ranging 
from  8.3  to  II  hands  these  miniature  horses  have,  in  pro- 
portion to  their  stature,  enormous  strength,  are  very  docile, 
and  easily  managed.  Isly  only  objection  to  them  is  that 
they  are  spread  too  much — too  thick  through  for  children's 


CHOICE    OF  A   HORSE.  2^ 


riding.  A  child's  pony  ought  to  be  narrow,  so  that  the  Httle 
legs  may  get  a  grip  of  his  sides.  If  broad  on  the  back  the 
little  one  has  about  as  much  hold  as  a  man  on  the  pad  of 
an  elephant ;  moreover,  the  short  "  chunky  "  pony  is  much 
more  proppy  and  jerky  in  his  movements  than  those  of 
lighter  and  more  "  planky  "  build. 

Though  of  late  years — grazing  sheep  having  been  found 
a  more  paying  industry — pony  breeding  in  Wales  has  been 
conducted  in  a  very  slip-shod  manner,  some  good  ponies 
are  still  to  be  found  in  the  Principality.  There  is  little 
doubt  that  the  Welsh  pony  is  the  descendant  of  the  horse 
that  in  the  days  of  Rome,  yoked  to  the  scythed  chariots  of 
our  forefathers,  used  to  spread  dismay  into  the  serried  ranks 
of  the  war-worn  legionaries.  On  the  Cambrian  mountains 
the  war-horse  of  the  Angles  became  dwarfed,  but  lost  none 
of  its  vigour  and  activity.  In  these  latter  days  it,  on  the 
borders  of  Shropshire  especially,  has  been  crossed  with 
blood.  The  late  Sir  Watkin  Williams  Wynn,  Bart.,  of  Wynn- 
stay,  introduced  the  thoroughbred  element,  and  in  and  about 
Brampton  Brian,  Ludlow,  Knighton,  Corwen,  Llampeter, 
Welshpool,  Newton,  and  Montgomery,  following  the  banks 
of  the  Severn  from  Pool  Quay  down  to  Llanidloes,  is  to  be 
found  many  a  natty  scion  of  the  Arab  Selim,  of  ^May  Fly, 
Underbill,  Polardine,  and  Wandering  Minstrel.  The  Berwyn 
mountains,  south  of  Corwen,  on  the  line  from  Ruabon  to 
Bala,  are  famous  for  a  very  superior  "  stiff"  breed  of  pony, 
distinguished  by  peculiar  white  markings  under  the  belly. 
Some  are  beauties,  all  are  active  as  cats,  are  able  to  go  any 
distance  on  very  short  commons,  and  are  as  hardy  as  the  pro- 
verbial tinker's  dog.  The  best  animals  to  be  found  in  South 
A\'ales  are  on  the  borders  between  Builth  and  Breckon. 
Copenhagen,  the  Anglo-Arabian  that  carried  the  Duke  of 
Wellington  at  Waterloo,  was  foaled  at  Old  Colwyn.  Denbigh. 


28  HORSEMANSHIP. 


Facile prijiceps  amongst  our  pedigree  pony  breeders  stands 
that  critical  judge,  Mr.  Christ.  W.  Wilson,  of  Rigmaden 
Park,  Kirkby  Lonsdale.  The  success  of  his  various  little 
model  sires.  Sir  George,  Little  Wonder,  and  others,  in 
stamping  their  mint-mark  on  the  mares  of  that  portion  of 
Westmoreland  to  which  their  services  have  been  confined, 
is  strongly  in  evidence.  Many  of  them  come  as  near 
perfection  as  need  be,  and  he  who  covets  the  possession  of 
one  of  these  little  beauties  must  be  prepared  to  pay  for  the 
luxury.  The  stallions  being  closely  inbred  are  very 
impressive,  and  transmit  the  characteristics  of  the  Rigmaden 
Park  blood  with  undeniable  truth.  The  Exmoors  appear 
to  have  deteriorated,  though  not  so  far  back  Mr.  Knight, 
of  Simons  Bath,  bred  some  such  as  a  judge  could  find  little 
fault  with — staunch,  sturdy,  safety  conveyances  for  whom 
the  longest  day  with  the  Devon  and  Somerset  Stag  Hounds 
is  but  a  trifle.  Akin  to  these  are  the  ponies  of  Dartmoor 
and  Cornwall. 

At  the  Pony  Stud  Farm,  Pebworth,  Gloucestershire,  are 
three  small-sized  Arabs,  sent  home  by  ]\Ir.  J.  H.  B.  Hallen, 
the  General  Superintendent  of  the  Horse  Breeding  Depart- 
ment in  India,  where,  for  the  object  advertised,  their  services 
must  be  thrown  away  for  lack  of  good  pony  mares.  I  have 
never  seen  these  horses,  but,  if  they  be  good  specimens  of 
the  breed,  I  should  have  thought  a  more  suitable  location 
might  have  been  selected.  Better  placed  are  the  two 
beautiful  Nejd  high-caste  ponies,  owned  by  the  Albrightlee 
stud,  in  the  vicinity  of  Shrewsbury.  North  of  the  Tweed, 
at  Auchenflower,  Ballantrae,  Ayrshire,  ^Ir.  Alex.  ^Murdoch 
has  the  ''  right  article  ;  "  his  mares  run  in  a  half  wild  state, 
never  receive  any  attention  at  foaling,  and  his  youngsters 
after  half  an  hour's  experience  of  this  world  are  to  be  seen 
galloping  round  the  fields  like  deer.     With  that  experienced 


CHOICE   OF  A   HORSE.  29 


breeder  constitution  in  sire  and  dam  is  a  sine  qua  non. 
Some  capital  ponies  are  bred  in  the  western  isles  of  Scot- 
land, and  the  establishment  of  an  extensive  pony  farm  on 
Achill  Island,  off  the  coast  of  Mayo,  is  projected. 

The  popularity  of  Galloway  and  Pony  racing,  and  of  polo, 
already  referred  to,  is  certain,  at  no  distant  date,  to  furnish 
us  with  a  race  of  the  most  perfect  miniature  horses  in  the 
world.  Seeing  how  easy  the  Arab  is  to  handle  at  speed  I  con- 
sider him  above  all  others  the  best  calculated  to  beget  polo 
ponies.  Ridden  with  a  mere  halter  he  answers  immediately 
and  intelligently  to  the  voice  of  his  rider,  to  the  sway  of  his 
body,  or  to  the  pressure  of  knee  and  thigh,  stopping  short 
from  full  gallop,  going  about  on  his  own  ground,  and  at 
once  springing  into  "  full  power  ahead  "  again,  doubling  or 
jinking,  and  managing  his  legs  as  nimbly  as  a  chamois. 
There  is  a  pliancy  about  the  Arab  such  as  no  other  horse 
can  boast  of,  he  can  "  pat  butterflies  "  when  at  the  verge  of 
speed.  That  his  pace  is  of  no  mean  order  was  amply  proved 
by  Hermit  in  his  great  race  with  the  imported  EngHsh  mare 
Voltige,  in  the  Calcutta  Trades  Cup.  He  comes  of  a  long 
ancestry,  seldom  exceeding  14.  i^  hands  high,  so  that  the 
breeder  has,  to  some  extent,  the  power  to  control  and  keep 
down  the  height.  That  he  can  stand  the  rigours  of  a  Euro- 
pean climate  was  testified  to  by  the  correspondent  of  the 
Timcs^  who  inspected  Bourbaki's  army  when,  in  order  to 
escape  total  defeat  and  the  bitterness  of  surrender,  it 
sought  asylum  in  Switzerland.  "  The  horses,"  wrote  that 
gentleman,  *'  present  a  still  worse  appearance  than  the  men, 
seeming  more  fitted  for  the  knacker's  yard  than  to  bear  their 
burdens;  although,  undoubtedly,  the  Arabs  justify  the 
established  reputation  of  their  breed  by  the  very  tolerable 
condition  they  present,  and  the  comparative  elasticity  of 
their  paces." 


30  HORSEMANSHIP. 


CHAPTER    III. 

ACTION. 

Too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  on  true,  "  corky,"  easy, 
and  safe  action.  It  is  essential  both  to  horse  and  rider. 
There  must  be  nothing  forced  about  it.  Without  gliding 
smooth  action,  which  comes  from  perfect  symmetry  and 
just  balance,  there  can  be  no  manners,  no  intrinsic  value 
in  the  hack,  no  great  pleasure  to  the  rider,  and  no  con- 
servation of  energy.  A  labouring  goer  can  never  be  a 
thorough  stayer.  The  walk  should  be  bold  and  free,  the 
foot  picked  up  smartly,  with  well  bent  knee,  raised  clear 
from  the  ground,  thrown  forward  straight  to  the  front,  and 
placed  again  on  the  ground  lightly  yet  decidedly  and  with- 
out hesitation.  I  like  to  see  a  horse  marchifig  with  a  bold, 
swaggering,  airy  walk,  looking  about  him  at  passing  objects, 
and  swinging  his  tail  like  the  plumes  and  sporans  of  the 
Black  Watch,  as  the  splendid  corps  proudly  sweeps  past  the 
saluting  flag.  If  he  can  swagger  along  at  the  rate  of  five 
miles  an  hour  in  such  form,  fair  "toe  and  heel,"  then  he 
is  not  only  a  comfort  to  his  owner  but  a  luxury.  Objection 
may  be  taken  to  such  horses  as  are  constantly  looking  about 
them  on  the  score  of  their  being  addicted  to  tripping  on 
inequalities,  over  a  rut,  on  a  freshly  "  darned  "  or  metalled 
road,  but  they  are  generally  of  the  light-hearted  mercurial 
sort  which,  if  they  make  a  false  step;  never  permit  the  trip  to 
degenerate  into  a  downright  stumble,  and  are  sharp  in  their 
recovery.  Of  such  is  the  Arab,  one  of  the  surest  footed 
animals  in  the  world ;  he  is  constantly  tripping  at  the  walk, 
but  rights  himself  in  a  second,  as  if  his  foot  had  trodden  on 


ACTION.  31 


the  horned  viper  or  the  cobra.  My  experience  is  that 
light-hearted  horses  are  more  prone  to  this  disagreeable 
habit  than  are  the  more  plodding,  placid,  methodical  goers, 
but  when  one  of  the  latter  makes  a  mistake  it  is  apt  to  be  a 
serious  one. 

Nothing  is  more  unsightly  in  the  walk,  or  in  any  other 
pace,  than  the  far  too  common  habit  of  "  dishing,"  or 
'•'paddling."  A  horse  is  said  to  "  dish  "  or  ''paddle"  when 
in  the  walk,  or,  more  frequently  and  in  a  greater  degree,  in 
the  trot,  the  fore  leg,  from  the  knee  downwards,  is  not 
lifted  from  the  ground  and  carried  forward  in  the  plane  along 
which  his  whole  body  is  moving,  but  is  caused  to  describe, 
before  reaching  the  ground,  a  lateral  ellipse  or  curve  some- 
what similar  to  that  of  the  paddle  of  a  canoe  as  it  leaves 
and  re-enters  the  water.  This  faulty  action  is  best  detected 
when  a  horse  is  being  met  or  followed.  The  fore  foot 
should  be  thrown  out  perfectly  straight,  devoid  entirely  of 
lateral  twist.  Dishing  is  most  commonly  seen  among  our 
carriage  horses  and  the  hackneys  and  roadsters  proper. 
These  products  of  Norfolk,  and  Yorkshire — the  profane  term 
the  former  "Norfolk  rollers" — have  of  late,  since  the  creation 
of  a  Hackney  stud  book,  come  much  into  fashion,  and  to 
certain  of  the  Confidence  tribe  are  we  indebted  for  the 
accentuation  of  this  objectionable  gait.  Unfortunately  it  is 
potentially  hereditary. 

When  using  the  term  hack  I  mean  it  to  apply  to  the 
thoroughbred,  or  "cocktail"  (nearly  thoroughbred).  If 
there  be  a  flaw  in  his  pedigree,  then  let  the  alien  blood 
be  that  of  the  Yorkshire  roadster.  For  trotting  purposes 
we,  in  the  old  country,  want  nothing  beyond  the  capacity 
to  do  his  twelve  mile  an  hour  under  the  saddle  if  needed. 
To  ride  a  fast  trotter  in  the  Park  at  the  verge  of  his  speed 
would  be  shocking  bad  form ;  one  that  can  step  handsomely, 


32  HORSEMANSHIP, 

well  within  himself,  alongside  a  companion  in  a  swinging 
canter  or  hand-gallop  is  the  extreme  concession  good  taste 
can  sanction.  I  mean  no  disrespect  to  those  afflicted  with 
the  trotting  craze,  only  let  them  keep  their  trotters  to  the 
Alexandra  Park  and  such-like  unfashionable  gatherings. 
The  trot  should  exhibit  a  true,  equal,  and  collected  action, 
not  lofty  or  climbing,  but  "out  and  on"  of  the  forward 
throwing  description  right  from  the  shoulder,  the  hocks 
well  flexed,  and  the  haunches  well  tucked  under.  We  see 
far  too  much  of  that  horrible  rolling  funereal  ''up  to  the 
curb-chain "  style  of  knee  action  which,  in  black  horses 
especially,  bewrayeth  their  Friesian  origin.  Xot  a  few 
so-called  Norfolk  trotters  hail  from  the  rich  dairy  land  of 
this  Netherland  province.  For  pleasant  attractive  riding 
there  must  be  nothing  extravagant. 

The  canter — which  I  may  remark  wears  a  horse  out  and 
makes  him  groggy  on  his  fore  legs  quicker  than  any 
pace — is  par  excellence  the  easiest  pace  of  the  horse,  and 
consequently  the  most  patronized  by  ladies.  It  is  essentially 
the  lady's  pace,  and  being  artificial  as  to  its  measured 
and  collected  slowness  and  circumstance,  requires  careful 
teaching.  Perfect  hand  and  perfect  seat  can  alone  impose 
this  stately  and  delightful  action.  No  horse  can  canter 
in  perfect  form  unless  he  is  light  of  mouth  and  in  his  paces, 
has  long,  well-laid-back  riding  shoulders,  springy  pasterns, 
can  get  his  haunches  well  under  him,  and  can  "  bend  him- 
self," or  bring  his  head  down  to  his  chest.  This  capacity 
for  bending  implies  a  clean  throttle — the  game-cock  throttle 
— and  a  well  set-on  head.  In  the  canter,  the  horse  trained 
to  perfection  and  handled  by  an  artist,  will  lead  with  either 
leg,  but,  as  a  rule,  ladies'  horses  go  with  the  right  or  off 
foot  forward.  He  ought  to  be  trained  and  accustomed  to 
lead  with  either   leg  in  obedience  to  the  rider's  will  and 


ACTION.  33 


hand.  The  utmost  nicety  of  the  liands  is  necessary, 
especially  in  the  slow  five-mile-an-hour  rate  of  progress,  and 
liere  comes  in  that  give-and-take  of  the  reins  on  which  so 
much  depends.  When  the  horse  has  settled  down  into  his 
canter  an  easy  and  regular  action  is  maintained ;  he  is 
nicely  balanced  on  his  haunches,  the  hocks  are  brought  v/ell 
under  without  any  outward  ''  wobble,"  the  fore  hand  is 
lightly  lifted  from  the  ground,  and  there  is  nothing  "  false  " 
in  the  motion.  A  horse  is  said  to  go  false  when,  if 
cantering  to  the  right  on  a  curve,  or  circling  to  the  right, 
he  leads  with  the  left,  and  vice  versa,  if  cantering  to  the  left, 
he  leads  with  the  right.  The  rider  must  feel  the  cadence 
of  every  stride,  and  be  able  at  will  to  extend  or  shorten  the 
action.  Simple  as  the  pace  appears  it  really  belongs  to  the 
Jiaiite  ecole  of  the  equestrian  art.  It  is  sometimes  to  be  seen 
illustrated  to  perfection  by  some  of  those  equestrians  who 
'•  do  miserable  penance  in  Rotten  Row,"  occasionally  by 
men  and  women,  when  going  to  cover,  in  our  best  riding 
schools,  and  in  the  circus  by  some  star  rider. 

No  lady  or  gentleman,  in  riding  in  the  park  or  on  the 
road,  ever  dreams  of  galloping ;  a  hand-gallop,  or,  in  other 
words,  an  extended  canter,  is  all  that  can  be  perpetrated. 
There  is,  however,  no  reason  whatever  why,  on  some  breezy 
downs  or  in  crossing  big  "  turkey-carpet "  enclosures,  the 
pleasure  of  a  "  breather "  should  not  be  indulged  in. 
Horses  gallop  in  all  shapes  and  forms.  There  is  the  gallop 
of  the  race-course  and  of  the  hunting  field ;  the  one  daisy- 
cutting  close  to  the  ground,  the  other  higher  from  the 
ground  and  therefore  safer,  neither  climbing  nor  laboured^ 
both  demonstrating  enormous  leverage  and  power  behind. 
The  exception  proves  the  rule,  and  almost  all  of  our  racers, 
gifted  with  the  keenest  edge  of  speed,  possess  the  poetry  of 
motion.     They  appear  to  glide  over  the  ground  without  an 

D 


34  HORSEMANSHIP. 

effort.  But  it  is  not  always  that  these  faultless  gallopers  are 
the  best  stayers  \  there  is  something  flashy  about  them  that 
appears  to  assign  a  mile  as  about  the  length  of  their  tether. 
A  horse  that,  with  his  head  in  its  proper  position,  can,  at  a 
good  pace  and  collectedly,  cross  ridge  and  furrow  is,  in  my 
opinion,  as  near  to  the  ideal  of  a  galloper  for  most  purposes 
as  need  be.  When  fully  extended  the  stride  cannot  be  too 
long,  provided  it  is  not  the  lobbing  gallop  of  the  wolf,  is 
vigorous,  devoid  of  climbing  in  front,  and  with  a  powerful 
recover  and  leverage  from  the  propellers.  The  print  of  the 
hind  feet  should  be  inches  in  front  of  the  fore  ones.  Short, 
proppy,  or  stilty  action  of  the  fore  legs  is  indicative  of 
soreness  from  overwork,  used  joints,  a  recent  sprain  of  the 
shoulder  from  a  sHp  or  fall,  rheumatism,  or  chest-foimder.  In 
this  last  case  the  horse  is  said  to  be  shoulder  tied.  Mayhap 
some  mischief  in  the  feet,  such  as  laminitis,  coronitis,  canker, 
or  navicular  disease,  may  be  the  cause  of  the  horse  not 
laying  himself  down  to  and  stretching  out  fully  in  his  gallop. 
Some  very  fast  horses  gallop  very  wide  behind — Eclipse,  for 
instance — others  with  the  points  of  the  hocks  turned  some- 
what in  towards  each  other,  giving  the  appearance  of  what 
we  term  knock-kneed  in  man.  As  a  rule  speed  is  more 
frequently  found  in  the  latter  conformation.  Those  that 
are  pinned  in  at  the  elbows  seldom  go  with  any  ease  to 
themselves  or  comfort  to  the  rider.  As  a  rule  they  have 
short,  unpleasant,  jarring  action,  and  are  liable  to  fall.  The 
horse  that  turns  his  toes  out  like  a  dancing  master,  must 
have  twisted  ankles,  is  apt  to  hit  himself,  is  Hable  to  break 
down,  but  may  withal  have  the  gift  of  going. 

Pigeon-toed  horses  i.e.  those  with  the  fore  feet  turned  in, 
invariably  make  bad  hacks.  Ayston,  Mr.  Thomas 
Assheton's  famous  mount,  prized  by  his  hard-riding  master 
as  the  finest  performer  that  he  ever  "  rode  across  Belvoir's 
sweet   vale,"  suffered  from  this  malformation  and  was,  in 


ACTION. 


35 


consequence,  so  bad  a  hack  that  he  had  to  be  led  to  cover. 
I  have  noticed  that  horses  with  rather  low  shoulders,  but 
fine  at  the  point  and  rather  light  in  the  neck,  are  generally 
pleasant  and  speedy  gallopers.  Fine-topped  ones  with  high 
large  shoulders  are  often  high  actioned  and  by  no  means 
fast  or  pleasant  conveyances.  The  length  of  pace  in  no 
way  depends  on  the  height  of  the  horse.  Champion,  a  well- 
known  Arab  racer,  when  in  training  at  Meerut,  North-West 
Provinces  of  India,  covered  twenty-one  feet  at  each  stride. 

The  late  Captain  Roger  D.  Upton,  of  the  9th  Lancers,  in 
his  work  of  Newmarket  and  Arabia  calls  attention  to  the 
ability  of  the  Arabian  to  play  with  his  fore  feet  even  when 
at  a  hand-gallop.  He  further  makes  the  following  remarks, 
which  are  apj'opos  to  the  unusual  liberty  of  shoulder 
possessed  by  these  true  pure-bred  horses  of  the  pathless 
desert :  ''  Most  must  have  noticed  when  riding  on  the  grass 
by  the  side  of  roads,  how  constantly  their  horses  are  putting 
their  feet  into  grips,  or  on  the  edge  of  them,  which  have 
been  cut  to  carry  off  the  water,  and  which,  it  would  appear, 
they  are  incapable  of  avoiding,  jerking  and  shaking  their 
limbs,  and  making  it  unpleasant  for  their  riders.  I  have 
known  Arabs,  on  the  contrary,  either  at  a  canter  or  a  trot, 
avoid  these  grips  and  obstacles  by  a  most  nimble  manage- 
ment of  their  legs,  either  by  extending  one  shoulder  and  leg 
beyond  the  grip,  or  putting  one  foot  neatly  down  before 
concluding  the  usual  length  of  pace."  Whyte  Melville 
termed  this  handi7iess  with  the  feet  "patting  butter- 
flies." I  have,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  noticed  the 
eager  Arab  pig-sticker,  when  brought  up  alongside  the 
mighty  boar  at  racing  speed,  lay  his  ears  back,  and  go  open- 
mouthed  at  "the  father  of  tusks,"'  and  strike  smartly  at  his 
"  bow  back  "  right  from  the  shoulder  as  a  passing  reminder. 

Though,  perhaps,  not  the  most  elegant,  the  firmest  seated 
riders  in  the  world  are  the  Australian  stockmen,  their  horses 


36  HORSE  MA  ASHIP. 

by  far,  with  perhaps  the  exception  of  the  Bedaween's  Arab, 
the  most  active  and  the  best  trained.  When  yarding  cattle 
or  heading  a  bullock  that  has  broken  away,  these  horses 
follow  the  fugitive,  turning,  twisting,  and  wrenching,  with  all 
the  activity  of  a  sheep-dog.  Fallen  trees  and  all  kinds  of 
obstacles  are  taken  in  the  stride  at  the  verge  of  speed. 
The  sudden  halt,  turn,  or  spin-round,  as  unexpected  as  in- 
stantaneous of  one  of  these  stock-horses,  would  send  the 
best  of  our  horsemen  flying  out  of  their  saddles.  All  this 
racing  and  chasing  is  accomplished  by  aid  of  the  plain 
snaffle  bit,  the  reins,  for  the  most  part,  lying  loose  on  the 
animal's  neck,  his  rider  being  busy  with  his  twenty  foot, 
short-handled  whip. 

Ambling,  or  what  in  America  and  Canada  is  termed  pacing 
or  racking,  is  a  lateral  camel-like  motion  much  in  vogue 
in  Eastern  countries,  and  in  the  United  States  for  harness, 
where  the  speed  is  frequently  very  great  and  quite  equal  to 
an  ordinary  gallop.  The  pacer  Billy  Boice,  under  the  saddle, 
covered  his  mile  in  two  minutes  fourteen  seconds,  and  few 
of  our  blood  hunters,  untrained,  would  cover  that  distance 
in  less  than  two  minutes.  Though  unsightly  to  the  English 
eye,  this  peculiar  gait  is  certainly  the  easiest  of  all  to  the 
rider,  and  is  the  least  injurious,  save  the  walk,  on  the  Queen's 
highway.  In  India  and  in  the  East  I  have  ridden  pacers 
long  and  continuous  stages  with  the  greatest  comfort,  and 
it  is  wonderful  how  a  trained  pacer  gets  over  the  ground 
seemingly  untiringly  and  without  effort.  For  invalids  and 
old  gentlemen  seeking  a  thoroughly  comfortable  airing,  there 
is  nothing,  outside  a  horse,  like  this  pacing,  the  off  fore  and 
hind  feet  being  on  the  ground  alternately  with  the  near  fore 
and  hind  feet.  In  the  State  of  Kentucky,  America,  where 
men  and  women  ride  long  distances  and  are  frequently  in 
the  saddle,  their  horses,  all  of  Enghsh  blood,  are  trained  to 
this  peculiar  running-walk. 


(      37      ) 


CHAPTER    IV. 

practical  hints. 

Mounting. 

Never  approach  your  horse  from  behind^  or  mayhap  he 
will,  being  in  playful  mood,  "  land  you  one  *'  more  forcible 
than  pleasant.      Having  carefully  looked  him  all  over   to 


r   POSITION. 


38 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


satisfy  yourself  that  he  has  been  carefully  groomed,  and 
that  he  is  properly  bridled  and  saddled,  the  orthodox 
manner  of  placing  yourself  on  his  back  is  as  follows. 
Stand  opposite  his  near  fore  foot,  place  the  left  hand  open 
on  the  neck,  just  in  front  of  the  withers,  the  back  of   the 


hand  to  the  horse's  head  (position  No.  i).  Take  up  the 
reins  with  the  right  hand,  separate  them  by  placing  the 
third  finger  of  the  left  hand  between  them,  then  draw 
them  through  the  still  open  hand  until  you  feel  the  horse's 
mouth;  turn  the  slack  of  the  reins  over  the  fore-linger  to 
the  off  side,  the  mane  side,  of  the  neck ;  twist  a  lock  of 
the  mane  round  the  forefinsjer  and  thumb,  and  close  the 


hand  firmly,  the  thumb  acting  as  a  stopper  on  the  reins. 
The  right  hand,  now  free,  takes  the  stirrup  by  the  eye,  or 
the  stirrup  leather  immediately  above  the  eye,  and  turns 
the  stirrup  so  that  its  sides  are  at  right  angles  to  the 
horse's  body.     Place  the  left  foot  in  it  as  far  as  the  ball. 


MOUNTIXG. 


39 


You  will  now  stand  facing  the  tail,  your  left  arm  on  the  neck 
and  hand  on  the  crest  holding  the  reins  and  wisp  of  the  mane. 
Let  the  knee  press  against  the  flap  of  the  saddle  to  prevent 
the  toe  from  digging  into  the  horse's  side.     With  a  hop  come 


MOUNTING — SECOND    POSITION. 


round  to  position  No.  2  in  mounting,  at  the  same  time 
seizing  the  cantle  of  the  saddle  with  the  released  right  hand. 
You  will  now  be  looking  over  the  saddle,  with  the  left  foot 
in  the  stirrup,  the  whole  weight  of  the  body  being  on  the  ball 
of  the  right  foot.     Before  the  hop  which,  aided  by  the  stirrup, 


40 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


faced  you  or  swung  you  round  to  the  left  has  died  away, 
give  another  big  hop  or  spring — the  motion,  quick  as 
thought,  must  be  ahiiost  continuous — and  stand  balanced  for 
a  second  on  the  stirrup  (position  No.  4),  to  transfer  the  right 


^:5*1 


■  -\ 


.VOU-X  riNG— FOURTH    TOSITIOX. 


hand  from  the  cantle  to  the  right  side  of  the  pommel,  throw, 
swing,  or  cock  your  right  leg  over,  not  letting  the  knee  go 
higher  than  just  sufficient  to  clear  the  horse,  and  so  drop 
quietly  into  the  saddle,  as  light  as  "  feathered  Mercury," 
and  not  like  a  sack  of  oats.     The  right  hand  is  in  the  best 


MOUNTIXG. 


4t 


position  to  stay  and  "  lower  handsomely  "  the  weight  of  tlic 
body.  Put  the  right  foot  into  the  stirrup  by  aid  of  the  foot 
and  not  of  the  hand.  If  your  groom  be  present  he,  stand- 
ing on  the  oft'  side  of  the  horse,  should  hold  the  horse's 


MOUNTING — THIRD    POSITION. 


head  with  one  hand  and  bear  a  portion  of  his  weight  on 
the  off"  stirrup  with  the  other.  Position  No.  3  represents 
an  attempt  to  climb  into  the  saddle  :  the  gentleman  has 
muddled  the  double-barrelled  hop,  so,  at  the  risk  of  turning 
the  saddle  round  and  of  tearing  a  lock  from  the  horse's  mane, 


42  HORSEMANSHIP. 


is  dragging  himself  aloft.  The  reader  will  please  to  ob- 
serve that  the  hands  placed  on  the  horse's  neck  and  saddle 
are  merely  to  guide  the  body,  and  are  not  to  be  used  as 
lifts. 

The  above  is  secundiun  arte/ii,  but  for  the  rough-and-ready 
horseman  the  following  method  is  equally  effective.  Being 
proficient  at  the  art  of  riding,  and  having  the  fear  of  the 
horse's  heels  before  his  eyes,  he,  as  a  matter  of  course,  goes 
straight  up  to  his  head  without  any  of  the  studied  mannerism 
indicative  of  the  riding-school.  The  reins  are  caught  up 
in  the  right  hand,  which  rests  on  the  saddle,  the  left  being 
engaged  in  guiding  the  left  foot  into  the  stirrup.  The  rider's 
back,  in  contradistinction  to  the  practice  of  the  viaftege^  will 
be  towards  the  horse's  tail.  The  left  hand  then  relieves  the 
right  of  the  reins,  and  by  giving  the  body  a  swing  so  as  to 
bring  the  chest  against  the  horse's  side  and  at  the  same  time 
springing  from  the  ground,  the  rider  gains  position  No.  4, 
as  in  the  first  manner  of  mounting.  The  lock  of  the  mane 
is  gripped  by  the  left  hand,  along  with  the  reins,  as  he  pre- 
pares to  rise. 

A  third  and  very  general  practice  of  mounting,  is  for  the 
rider  to  walk  quietly  up  to  the  horse,  take  up  the  reins  in 
the  left  hand,  and,  with  his  front  facing  the  horse's  side,  to 
put  the  foot  on  the  bottom  or  tread  of  the  stirrup,  which  so 
hangs  that  this  can  be  done  without  laying  hold  of  the  eye 
or  leather  with  the  right.  The  left  still  holding  the  reins 
grasps  a  lock  of  the  mane,  the  right  being  placed  on  the 
cantle.  One  spring  places  his  body  in  position  No.  4  (which 
should  be  upright  and  not  leaning  over  the  withers,  as  repre- 
sented in  the  illustration)  and  he,  as  usual,  lightly  swings 
himself  into  his  saddle. 

If  the  tyro's  too  solid  flesh  and  inactivity  prevent  his 
adopting   any  one  of  the    above   three  saltatory  methods. 


MOUNTING.  43 


then  there  remains  nothing  for  him  but  a  fourteen  hands 
cob,  and  the  mounting  block. 

In  adopting  the  first  and  strictly  orthodox  plan,  the  rider 
had  better  tighten  the  off  rein  a  trifle  more  than  the  other, 
as,  otherwise,  he  may  find  a  playful  animal,  when  he  is 
placing  his  foot  in  the  stirrup^  giving  him  a  nibble  or  even 
taking  a  pattern  out  of  the  seat  of  his  breeches.  On  the 
other  hand,  when  mounting  with  his  face  to  the  horse's 
head,  if,  perchance,  his  toe  gave  the  horse's  ribs  a  prod — ■ 
a  not  unlikely  occurrence — he  might  happen  on  a  stern 
reminder  from  the  near  hind  hoof. 

With  practice,  backed  up  by  a  moderate  degree  of  agility, 
the  act  of  mounting  quietly  and  neatly,  without  any  strain 
to  yourself  or  horse,  will  be  acquired  in  a  very  few  lessons. 

Mounting  without  Stirrups. 

As  the  first  lessons  in  equitation  should  be  conducted 
without  stirrups,  it  is  essential  that  the  beginner — man,  youth, 
or  boy — should  learn  to  vault  into  the  saddle  without  the 
assistance  of  these  adjuncts.  In  the  army,  recruits  are 
constantly  practised  at  rapidly  mounting  and  dismounting  j 
and  if  these  exercises  can  be,  as  they  are,  neatly  and  actively 
executed  on  and  off  a  military  saddle,  the  average  civilian  can 
have  no  dilBculty  in  going  through  them  on  the  plain  riding 
or  hunting  saddle,  with  its  low  pommel  and  cantle.  The 
illustrations,  reproduced  from  instantaneous  photographs, 
represent  the  various  positions  of  mounting  without  stirrups 
from  the  near  side;  but,  in  practice,  the  rider  should  accustom 
himself  to  get  into  the  saddle  from  either  side.  Horses  should 
be  mounted  and  dismounted,  led,  and  fed,  as  often  on  the 
off  as  the  near  side.  Many  horses,  restless  when  being 
mounted  on  the  near  side,  submit  quietly  when  mounted  on 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


the  off.  Practice  on  a  quiet  fourteen  two  or  fifteen  hands 
horse  in  the  first  instance,  then,  by  degrees,  try  your  hand  on 
something  bigger  till  you  can  deftly  and  neatly  throw  your 
leg  over  a  sixteen-hander,  beyond  which  height  no  horse, 


MOUNTING   WITHOUT    STIRRUPS — FIRST    POSITION, 


except  a  mammoth  dray  or  waggoner,  should  be.  Cross  the 
stirrups  over  the  horse's  neck,  or,  for  practice,  slide  them  out 
of  the  bars  and  remove  them ;  stand  immediately  opposite 
and  close  to  the  saddle  ;  take  up  the  reins  with  the  right 
hand,  pass  the  little  finger  of  the  left  between  them,  and 


MOCXTIXG. 


45 


draw  them  through  the  hollow  of  that  hand  till  the  horse's 
mouth  is  felt,  and  throw  the  ends  of  the  rein  over  the  neck 
to  the  off  side.  In  the  illustration  the  rider  is  represented,  as 
in  the  case  of  mounting  with  stirrups,  with  a  lock  of  the  mane 


MOrXTIXG   WITHOUT    STIRRUPS — SECOND   TOSITIOX. 


twisted  round  the  fore-finger  and  thumb,  but  it  is  preferable 
to  grasp  the  pommel  with  the  left  and  the  cantle  with  the 
right  hand.  Spring  well  from  the  ground  into  position 
No.  2,  raising  the  body  by  the  strength  of  the  arms  and 
wrists,  dwelling  there  for  one  moment  only  to  preserve  the 


46 


HORSE  MA  NSHIP. 


balance,  and,  as  in  position  No.  3,  quitting  the  hold  of  the 
right  hand  to  place  the  heel  of  it  on  the  off  side  of  the  pommel 
so  as  to  break  the  descent  of  the  body  on  to  the  horse's 


WITHOUT    -TIRRUPS— THIRD   rOSITION. 


back,  throw  the  right  leg  smartly  over  his  back  and  drop 
without  jar  or  bump  of  any  kind  into  the  saddle  ;  of  course, 
when  mounting;  from  the  off  side  the  motions  are  reversed. 


THE   SEAT.  47 


The  Seat. 

jNIany  of  our  finest  and  most  graceful  riders  are  men  who 
have  never  had  a  lesson  from  a  riding-master — intuitive, 
natural,  horsemen  after  the  manner  born.  The  manege^  pure 
and  simple,  teaches  a  great  deal,  but  is  apt  to  leave  a  certain 
"  stuck  up "  stiffness  behind  it.  My  ideal  of  an  elegant 
horseman  is  one  who  combines  all  the  studied  art  of  the 
school  with  the  wholesome  laxity  of  the  thoroughly  capable 
untaught. 

To  illustrate  what  is  meant  by  "  wholesome  laxity  "  I  will 
first  describe  the  riding-school  seat,  and  then  endeavour 
to  tone  down  the  ramrod  unyielding  primness  inseparable 
from  strictly  miHtary  instruction,  which,  to  some  extent,  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  give  uniformity  of  appearance  to 
large  bodies  of  men  in  movement.  Before  settling  himself 
in  the  saddle  the  rider  draws  the  reins  through  his  left  hand, 
and,  taking  a  half  turn  over  the  fore-finger,  the  thumb  being 
firmly  pressed  upon  them  and  the  hand  well  closed,  the 
strongest  possible  grip  consistent  with  good  riding  is  secured. 
The  hand  in  proper  position  will  be  perpendicular  to  the 
pommel,  the  knuckles  turned  towards  the  horse's  "pack- 
wax,"  the  wrist  slightly  rounded  towards  the  body,  and  the 
litde  finger  on  a  line  with  the  elbow.  The  arm  hangs 
perpendicularly  from  the  shoulder,  scarcely  touching  the 
body,  with  liberty  for  the  elbow  to  move  freely  backwards 
and  forwards  to  "  give  and  take,"  and  to  preserve  touch  of 
the  horse's  mouth.  An  appearance  of  its  being  pinned  to 
the  side  is  to  be  avoided.  In  some  schools  the  pupil  is 
taught  to  let  the  elbow  touch  the  hip  joint,  a  position  to  be 
condemned  on  account  of  the  constraint  it  imposes.  The 
rider,  in  glancing  towards  the  pommel,  should  be  able  to 


48  HORSEMAXSHJP. 


see  the  back  of  his  thumb  and  upper  edge  of  the  fore-finger 
only.  The  position  of  the  body  is  perfectly  upright  and 
straight,  shoulders  well  squared,  chest  thrown  out,  small  of 
the  back  drawn  in,  and  the  head  so  placed  that  the  line 
of  vision  be  directed  straight  between  the  horse's  ears.  Feet 
should  be  almost  parallel  to  the  sides  of  the  horse,  the  toes 
slightly  turned  out  so  that  the  calf  of  the  leg  be  brought 
to  bear  against  the  horse's  sides  j  heels  depressed,  and  the 
ball  of  the  foot  resting  on  the  sole  of  the  stirrup  iron.  The 
grip  should  extend  from  the  knees  to  half-way  down  the  calf 
of  the  leg,  the  knees  being  just  sufficiently  bent  to  permit 
the  rider,  when  rising  on  his  stirrups  at  the  trot,  to  rise  and 
fall  without  undue  display  of  daylight.  An  easy  posture  is 
for  the  back  of  the  heel  to  be  in  a  perpendicular  line  with 
the  posterior  bend  or  hollow  of  the  knee.  The  whip,  which 
till  the  reins  are  taken  up  and  arranged,  is  in  the  fork 
formed  by  the  thumb  and  fore-finger  of  the  left  hand,  is 
transferred  by  being  drawn — not  flourished — into  the  right. 

The  right  hand  is  then  permitted  to  hang  down  in  a 
natural  position. 

Now,  then,  as  to  an  equally  correct,  less  studied,  and, 
therefore,  much  easier  seat.  Permit  me  to  walk  or  ride 
round  you  and  to  make  a  few  slight  alterations.  Turn  the 
thumb  of  your  bridle  hand  more  down,  your  knuckles  almost 
across  the  horse's  neck,  and  drop  the  hand  a  bit ;  rest  the 
back  of  the  right  hand  easily  on  the  thigh.  Do  not  sit  bolt 
upright,  as  if  you  had  swallowed  a  ramrod  or  had  gone 
through  a  severe  course  of  back-board  drill ;  do  not,  on  the 
contrary,  roach  your  back,  poke  your  head  forward,  and  sit 
all-of-a-heap  in  a  toad-like  position ;  do  not  adopt  what  Sir 
Bellingham  Graham  termed  "awash-ball  seat."  There  is 
no  occasion  whatever  for  you  to  look  straight  out  between 
the  horse's  ears,  and  to  hold  vour  neck  as  if  it  were  slued  to 


THE  SEAT.  49 


one  of  the  old-fashioned  military  leather  stocks.  Sit  easily 
and  naturally  as  in  a  chair,  get  all  of  that  buckram  stiffness 
out  of  your  body,  and  when  you  give  the  horse  his  head, 
let  the  whole  body  flex  with  his  motion.  We  do  not  want 
to  see  this  yielding  to  his  movements  developed  into  an 
exaggerated  swing  or  bend,  it  should  be  nothing  more  than 
an  almost  imperceptible  sway,  devoid  of  all  lateral  inclina- 
tion. Men  that  look  stiff  and  ride  stiff  are  seldom,  or  never 
ideal  horsemen ;  they  tire  themselves  and  fatigue  their 
horses.  A  man  can  sit  perfectly  upright  without  appearing 
as  if  he  wore  steel  corsets,  had  a  steel  w^re  doing  duty  for 
spinal  marrow,  and  was  trussed  up  like  the  brave  old  Cid 
on  Bavieca  when,  like  Death  on  the  Pale  Horse,  his  mailed 
corpse  "  reared  on  his  barbed  steed  "  led  the  Spanish  host 
against  King  Bucar  of  Morocco.  An  easy  seat  in  no  way 
detracts  from  a  firm  one,  but  the  very  reverse.  To  preserve 
a  perfect  equilibrium  or  balance,  the  rider's  body,  without 
seeming  to  do  so,  must  adapt  itself  and  conform  to  every 
movement  of  the  horse.  The  position  of  your  legs  and 
feet  are  well  enough,  but  there  is  a  certain  stiffness  and 
want  of  play  about  the  knee  and  ankle  suggestive  of  the 
surgical  manufacturer's  art  rather  than  of  a  live  limb,  and 
of  the  leg  being  nailed  to  the  saddle  flap. 

When  you  have  so  far  perfected  your  grip  of  the  saddle, 
and  have  acquired  confidence,  then,  having  selected  the 
best  model  of  your  sex,  one  in  w^hom  the  ease  and  grace 
of  being  perfectly  at  home  is  contrasted  with  the  restraint 
and  formality  of  the  riding  school,  copy  that  model  as  closely 
as  can  be.  Be  sure  that  he  is  a  man  who  shines  not  only 
in  the  Row,  and  on  the  road,  but  in  the  hunting  field  also* 
Although  the  seat  of  hunting  men  varies  considerably,  there 
is  an  undefinable  something  about  a  first-rate  cross  country 
rider,  a  certain  subtle  ease,  security,  and  confidence  begotten 

E 


50  HORSEMANSHIP. 


of  having  ridden  all  sorts  of  horses,  over  all  sorts  of  countries, 
and  at  all  descriptions  of  fences.  He  takes  no  trouble  to 
appear  or  act  like  a  horseman,  there  is  no  affectation,  no 
attitudinising,  nothing  peculiar  about  him,  yet  his  every 
motion  is  that  of  a  gentleman  and  of  a  finished  equestrian. 
Do  not  make  your  own  selection  of  a  model,  but  elect  to 
follow  the  silent  teaching  of  one  who  is  on  all  hands  an 
acknowledged  brilliant  horseman,  and  not  a  mere  fearless 
bruising  rough-rider,  "  the  first  in  the  throng,"  perhaps,  but 
still  not  a  master  of  the  art. 

Some  short  rotund  men  may  acquire  a  strong  seat,  but 
dumpies  cast  in  that  mould  can  never  make  elegant  riders ; 
in  fact,  such  figures  are  not  attractive  under  any  conditions. 
]\len  so  built  are  apt  to  roll  in  the  saddle,  and  once  out  of  it 
are  difficult  to  get  back  again.  It  is  not  the  low  stature 
that  militates  against  such  robust  Pygmeans  ;  it  is  the  round 
and  short  thigh,  the  fleshy  knee,  and  the  general  Bacchana- 
lian chubby  conformation  that  handicap  them  so  heavily. 
Perhaps  for  all  purposes  a  well-proportioned  five  feet  seven 
to  five  feet  nine  man,  light-flanked,  broad-shouldered,  all 
''  wire  and  whipcord,"  with  strong  arms,  muscular  but  hollow 
thighs,  riding  between  nine  stone  seven  to  ten  stone  seven, 
is  the  one  best  calculated  to  look  well  on  a  horse  and  to  get 
all  that  is  necessary  out  of  him.  The  "  tall,  plump,  brawny 
youth  "  Somerville  spoke  of  is  another  individual  who  does 
not,  as  a  rule,  make  a  good  show  in  the  saddle.  Some  tall 
men,  notably  Colonel  Anstruther  Thomson,  look  remarkably 
well  and  are  fine  horsemen^  but  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  longer  the  stirrup  leather  is,  the  more  difficult  is  it 
to  keep  the  leg  and  foot  steady.  Tall  men,  especially 
those  with  abnormal  length  of  limb,  should  remember  the 
necessity  of  educating  their  thighs  and  knees  to  take  a  firm 
grip  of  the   saddle,  and   of  keeping   their   bodies   steady. 


THE  SEAT.  51 


Though  we  have  not  yet  got  so  far  as  the  trot,  I  shall  here 
refer  to  a  very  objectionable  fore  and  aft  pendulum  move- 
ment of  the  leg  from  the  knee  downwards  which  grinds  the 
calf  of  the  leg  against  the  saddle  flaps  to  the  detriment  of 
both.  Sometimes  the  knee  takes  part  in  this  odious  un- 
workmanlike "  swag  "  friction  motion. 

There  is  a  prevalent  idea  that  tall  men  soon  tire  their 
horses,  but  as  much  more  of  the  weight  in  such  cases  is 
carried  below  the  stirrup  bars  than  in  those  of  men  of  less 
length  of  limb,  this  notion  will  not  bear  investigation.  Why 
they  tire  their  horses  sooner  is  that  their  elongated  stature 
brings  with  it  an  increase  of  weight ;  the  shorter  the  length, 
in  the  absence  of  rotundity,  the  easier  it  is  kept  stationary ; 
but  some  of  our  best  cross-country  performers  have  been 
over  six  feet  in  their  stocking  soles.  Mr.  Thomas  Assheton 
Smith,  the  mightiest  hunter  that  ever  wore  a  horn  at  his 
saddle  bow,  was  a  twelve  stone  man,  five  feet  ten  inches 
high,  athletic,  well-proportioned,  very  muscular,  but  slight. 

Before  discussing  the  proper  length  of  stirrup,  I  would 
say  a  few  words  on  the  important  subject  of  riding  without 
stirrups.  If  a  man  contemplates  becoming  a  perfect  horse- 
man, and  will  not  be  content  with  mediocrity,  he  must 
accustom  himself  to  regard  the  stirrup  as  a  mere  accessory 
support,  and  not  as  an  absolute  necessity.  In  my  remarks 
on  early  tuition,  I  have  endeavoured  to  explain  the  several 
advantages  claimed  for  this  ancient  mode  of  riding.  The 
cavalry  recruit  is  permitted  the  use  of  stirrups  for  a  short 
time  only  after  having  had  some  forty  lessons.  He  is  taught 
to  leap  without  stirrups,  and  the  more  he  rides  without  them 
the  greater  is  his  strength,  the  closer  the  grip  and  the  better 
the  balance.  It  is  only  towards  the  close  of  his  long  spell 
of  instruction  that  he  is  permitted  to  ride  with  stirrups  and 
to  take  up  his  bit  rein.     No  horseman  can  have  perfect 


52  HORSEMANSHIP. 


freedom  of  hand  till  his  seat  be  firm,  and  this  grip,  com- 
bined with  balance — both  essentials — is  only  to  be  acquired 
by  riding,  as  the  famous  Xumidian  cavalry  of  Carthage, 
stirrupless.  The  late  Major  Whyte-]\Ielville  quotes  one  un- 
deniable authority  as  a  noteworthy  exponent  of  the  advan- 
tages of  this  practice  as  a  groundwork  for  beginners.  "  The 
late  Captain  Percy  Williams,  as  brilliant  a  rider  over  a 
country  as  ever  cheered  a  hound,  and  to  whom  few  jockeys 
would  care  to  give  five  pounds  on  a  race-course,  assured  me 
that  he  attributed  to  the  above  self-denying  exercise  that 
strength  in  the  saddle  which  used  to  serve  him  so  well  from 
the  distance  home.  When  quartered  at  Hounslow  with  his 
regiment,  the  9th  Lancers,  like  other  gay  young  light 
dragoons,  he  liked  to  spend  all  his  available  time  in  London. 
There  were  no  railroads  in  those  days,  and  the  coaches  did 
not  always  suit  for  time  :  but  he  owned  a  sound,  speedy, 
high-trotting  hack,  and  on  this  '•  bone-setter  "  he  travelled 
backwards  and  forwards  twelve  miles  of  the  great  Bath  road, 
with  military  regularity,  half  as  many  times  in  the  week. 
He  made  it  a  rule  to  cross  his  stirrups  over  his  horse's 
shoulders  the  moment  he  was  off  the  stones  at  either  end, 
only  to  be  replaced  when  he  reached  his  destination.  In 
three  months  time,  he  told  me,  he  had  gained  more  practical 
knowledge  of  horsemanship,  and  more  muscular  power 
below  the  waist,  than  in  all  the  hunting,  larking,  and  riding- 
school  drills  of  the  previous  three  years." 

According  to  the  strict  rules  of  the  riding-school,  the 
proper  length  of  the  stirrup  leathers  is  determined  by  the 
sole  of  the  stirrup  iron  touching  the  lower  edge  of  the  ankle- 
bone  when  the  foot  hangs  loose.  Another  method  of  deter- 
mining the  suitable  length  of  stirrup  leather  is  to  place  the 
tips  of  the  fingers  of  the  right  hand  against  the  bar  to  which 
the  leathers  are  huni:.  and  measuring  from  the  bottom  bar 


THE  AIDS.  53 

to  the  armpit;  when  the  sole  of  the  stirrup-iron  reaches 
the  rider's  side  under  the  armpit  the  adjustment  is  correct. 
When  taking  a  gallop  across  country,  or  over  broken  rough 
ground,  the  stirrups  should  be  taken  up  two  holes,  and 
when  starting  on  a  long  journey  it  is  advisable  to  do  the 
same.  This  will  ease  both  horse  and  rider.  When  long  in 
the  saddle  the  rider  will  find  much  relief  by  at  times  taking 
his  feet  out  of  the  stirrups  and  letting  the  legs  hang  loose, 
toes  pointing  downwards.  He  should  invariably  adjust  his 
stirrups  prior  to  mounting,  and  see,  unless  some  malforma- 
tion of  limb  has  to  be  provided  for,  that  both  are  of  a  length. 
All  stirrup  leathers  should  be  double  barred ;  that  pattern 
of  buckle  permits  of  the  easier  alteration  of  the  leathers  and 
allows  them  to  lie  flatter  under  the  upper  flap  of  the  saddle. 
On  no  account  must  the  end  of  the  leathers  be  run  througli 
the  space  between  the  bars,  it  must  lie  back  flat  on  the  flap, 
at  an  angle,  passing  under  the  rider's  thigh. 

The  Aids. 

In  horsemanship  the  aids,  so  called,  are  the  almost  im- 
perceptible motions  and  practical  applications  of  the  bridle- 
hand,  or  hands  and  legs,  through  which  the  wishes  of  the 
rider  are  conveyed  to  the  horse  in  order  to  determine  his 
movements,  turnings,  and  paces,  and  by  which  he  is  taught 
to  obey  the  bit,  and  is  given  a  light  mouth.  Their  object 
is,  through  certain  indications,  to  make  the  rider  understood 
and  obeyed  by  the  horse,  and  it  is  necessary  that  these 
indications  should  be  such  that  the  rider  can  employ  them 
instantaneously  and  with  certainty  under  all  circumstances. 
They  should  be  so  simple  and  so  marked  that  no  man  can 
mistake,  and  no  horse  misunderstand,  them.  Obedience  to 
hand  and  leg  is  the  foundation  of  a  horse's  education;  it 


54  HORSEMANSHIP. 

will  not  suffice  that  he  should  own  the  mastery  of  one,  he 
must  be  amenable  to  both,  for  without  invariable,  unhesi- 
tating obedience  to  both  he  cannot  be  a  perfect  riding- 
horse. 

For  obvious  reasons  the  voice,  except  it  be  in  the  form 
of  the  word  of  command,  is  not  permitted  to  rank  among 
the  aids  in  the  military  riding-school,  but  with  every  other 
class  of  horse  it  is  fully  entitled  to  be  regarded  as  such. 
Many  an  old  troop  or  battery  horse  knows  and  obeys  the 
command  as  readily  as  the  trained  man  on  his  back. 

The  different  aids  are  called  in  requisition  in  the  follow- 
ing manner,  the  supposition  in  most  cases  being  that  the 
horse  is  being  ridden  in  a  snaffle  or  on  the  bridoon. 

Walk. — Slacken  the  hold  on  the  bit  by  turning  the  little 
fingers  of  both  hands  forwards  towards  the  horse's  head, 
both  legs  at  the  same  moment  and  together  being  pressed 
to  the  horse's  side,  giving  the  word  to  move  with  the 
accompanying  k-l-k.  When  the  horse  has  moved  off  bring 
his  head  in,  arch  his  neck,  do  not  let  him  poke  his  nose 
out,  let  the  hands  resume  their  former  position,  do  not  let 
him  saunter  in  a  slovenly  manner,  but  step  out  smartly  well 
up  to  the  hand.  Do  not  press  him  beyond  his  best  walking 
pace,  and  be  careful  that  the  pace  is  a  true  one,  not  border- 
ing on  the  trot  or  amble. 

Halt. — Simultaneously  with  the  word  IV/ioa  I  or  Half! 
bring  the  little  fingers  towards  the  breast,  turning  the  nails 
of  both  hands  inwards  and  upwards  in  the  direction  of  the 
body.  See  that  when  halted  he  stands  evenly  on  both  hind 
legs. 

Rein  back. — Properly  speaking,  this  movement  to  the  rear 
should  be  performed  with  the  bit,  and  in  using  it  great  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  jerk  the  mouth.  Before  attempting 
this  practice  with  a  novice,  he  must  be  prepared  for  it  by 


THE  AIDS.  55 


being  made  to  stand  well  reined  in,  so  that  the  rider's  hand 
may  have  the  necessary  bearing  (called  appiii)  on  his 
mouth.  On  giving  the  word  Back  !  feel  both  reins  lightly 
by  working  the  little  fingers  towards  the  breast,  previously 
pressing  both  legs  to  the  horse's  sides  to  raise  his  forehand. 
The  prevalent  idea  with  many  is  that  in  reining  back  the 
horse's  weight  should  be  as  much  as  possible  thrown  upon 
the  hind  legs,  and  that  his  haunches  must  be  drawn  well 
under  him  in  a  sort  of  sitting  posture.  This,  however,  is 
wrong.  AVe  want  the  horse  to  step  or  walk  backwards 
collectedly  in  a  straight  line,  not  to  run,  hurry,  or  stagger 
back  out  of  hand  with  more  or  less  pain  and  difficulty, 
frightened  and  excited.  Now,  with  all  his  weight  in  addi- 
tion to  that  of  his  rider  thrown  on  his  hind  quarters,  and 
his  hocks  bent  under  him  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees, 
he  is  less  able  to  use  them  and  to  step  back,  and  his  tem.per 
is  roused  to  resist  the  aids.  He  will  probably  lay  his  ears 
back,  hug  his  tail,  show  every  sign  of  sulkiness  or  fight,  and 
will,  as  likely  as  not,  rear.  Under  such  circumstances  the 
hands  must  be  at  once  eased  off,  and  both  legs  applied  to 
regain  his  balance  forward,  for  till  he  stands  up  again  fair 
and  square  the  attempt  must  not  be  renewed.  With 
temper  and  firmness,  unless  the  conformation  be  at  fault, 
most  horses  may  in  a  few  lessons  be  taught  to  step  to  the 
rear  by  means  of  the  aids^  but  some  will  obstinately  refuse 
compliance  with  the  rider's  wishes.  In  this  case  the  best 
plan  is  to  subject  the  obdurate  animal  to  the  Galvayne 
system.  Should  the  horse  take  kindly  to  the  movement 
the  rider  must  be  careful  to  ease  the  reins  after  each  step, 
to  at  first  exact  only  a  few  steps,  increasing  by  degrees, 
to  be  careful  that  the  haunches  are  not  thrown  to  one  side 
or  the  other,  and  that  the  whole  weight  does  not  fall  on  one 
of  the  hind  legs  suddenly. 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


The  Caiiter. — The  aids  to  be  used  in  this  pace  are  fully 
discussed  in  the  paragraphs  on  that  subject. 

Right  or  Left  Turn. — Preparatory  to  turning  a  few  bend- 
ing lessons  will  be  found  useful.  Their  object  is  to 
teach  the  horse  that  when  he  feels  the  right  rein  he  must 
turn  his  head  to  the  right,  that  pressure  on  the  left  rein 
implies  that  it  must  be  turned  to  the  left,  and  that  when 
both  reins  are  felt  he  must  arch  his  neck  or  "rein  in." 
During  these  lessons  he  is  not  permitted  to  move  off  his 
ground.  When  the  bend  is  complete  he  should  be  taught 
to  hold  his  head  in  that  position  without  restraint,  and  must 
not  be  permitted  to  throw  his  head  back  hurriedly  into  its 
original  position,  it  must  be  brought  back  quietly  by  the 
rider's  hand.  In  turning  to  the  right  or  the  left,  the  horse 
is  kept  up  to  his  bit  by  the  pressure  of  both  legs,  the  pres- 
sure of  the  one  on  the  side  to  which  the  turn  is  to  be  made 
being  the  stronger. 

Fress2t7'e  of  the  Leg. — This  necessary  aid  is  best  acquired 
by  circling  the  horse  on  his  forehand  and  haunches,  wdthout 
which  it  is  difficult  for  the  rider  to  be  perfect  in  its  applica- 
tion, or  the  horse  thoroughly  obedient  to  its  pressure.  By 
circling  the  horse  on  the  forehand  he  learns  on  the  applica- 
tion of  the  \Qg  to  move  his  haunches  to  either  hand,  and 
by  making  him  circle  on  his  hind  legs  we  prevent  him  from 
moving  them  to  the  right  or  left.  Without  a  series  of 
diagrams  it  would  be  almost  impossible  to  describe  and 
teach  these  instructive  lessons  of  the  Baucher  niethode, 
which  entirely  upset  the  system  of  the  old  school.  If  a 
copy  of  the  "Training  of  Cavalry  Remount  Horses,"  by 
the  late  Captain  L.  E.  Nolan,  of  the  T5th  Hussars,  who  fell 
at  Balaclava,  be  obtainable,  I  would  counsel  the  reader  to 
procure  and  carefully  study  it.  To  that  gallant  officer, 
more  than  to  any  other,  do  we  owe  the  present  excellent 
horsemanship  of  the  Britisli  cavalry. 


THE  AIDS.  57 


Undoubtedly  the  best  method  a  beginner  can  follow  in 
"acquiring  the  scientific  application  of  the  various  "aids" 
of  hand  and  leg  is  to  join  a  military  school.  There, 
in  that  sequence  of  mounted  movements  known  as  the 
"  single  ride  "  he  will,  with  attention,  soon  learn  every  variety 
of  turn,  inclination,  and  pace.  He  will  there  be  taught  that 
the  simultaneous  application  of  hand  and  leg  is  the  ground- 
work of  good  horsemanship.  The  leg  pressure  must  not  be 
a  heavy  clinging  of  the  Umb,  or  a  clumsy  kick  in  the  ribs 
from  the  heel,  but  an  elastic  pressure  or  "  feel "  of  the 
muscles.  The  movement  of  the  hand,  though  almost  imper- 
ceptible to  the  spectator,  must  communicate  itself  distinctly 
to  the  bars  of  the  horse's  mouth.  The  great  skill  of  a  horse- 
man in  the  management  of  the  bridle  hand  consists  in  not 
making  the  bit  to  be  felt  too  severely,  and  in  moderating  its 
effect  by  the  mildness  and  pliability  of  the  hand;  or,  in 
other  words,  in  not  employing  more  strength  than  the  horse 
actually  requires,  and  in  checking  or  yielding  by  degrees, 
but  never  harshly  or  suddenly.  The  effect  of  the  rein  on 
the  bit  should  be  lively  and  certain.  Under  no  circum- 
stances must  the  rider  contract  the  habit  of  ^'  riding  in  the 
horse's  mouth,"  or,  more  plainly^  that  of  seeking  support 
and  balance  from  the  bridle.  The  pressure  on  the  bit 
should  be  just  sufficient  to  give  a  steady  and  graceful 
carriage  to  the  horse's  head.  In  order  to  secure  exactitude 
of  bit  action,  the  reins  must  be  held  of  the  same  length,  the 
cannons  of  the  mouth-piece  exercising,  to  an  ounce,  the 
same  pressure.  Nothing  irritates,  in  the  first  place,  a 
horse's  mouth  so  much  as  constant  dead  pressure  upon  it ; 
and  the  irritation  in  time  begets  callousness. 

;Most  horses,  if  carefully  taught,  in  obedience  to  the  will 
of  the  rider,  signalled  by  leg  pressure  and  the  attitude  he 
assumes,  respond  at  once  by  breaking  into  any  pace  and 


58  HORSEMAXSHIP. 

turning  in  any  direction.     All  that  is  required  is  patience 
and  system  on  the  part  of  the  instructor.     The  Bedaween  of 
the  desert  are  not,  in  our  acceptation  of  the  term,  good 
horsemen.      Their   seat   is   cramped,  and    their   bridle    a 
halter,  with  a  piece  of  chain  as  a  nose  band.     They  have 
neither  bit  nor  spur,  yet  in  full  career  their  horses  pull  up 
into   a   dead   halt,  start  off  again  at   full   speed,  turn  and 
wrench  with  all  the  fire  and  activity  of  a  Waterloo  Cup  grey- 
hound, and  obey  the  slightest  motion  of  their  wild  masters. 
In  a  very  few  months  a  well-bred  English  horse  can  be 
trained  to  be  as  observant  of  his  rider's  dumb  motions  as  the 
pure-bred  steed  of  Nejd,   or  the  equally  high  caste  ''  air 
drinker  "  of  the  Maharaina.     There  is  nothing  the  Arab  can 
teach  his  terse,  swift,  and  mettlesome  companion  of  his  tent 
that  we  cannot,  if  so  minded,  teach  the  descendants  of  the 
Darley  Arabian,  the  Godolphin  Barb,  and  the  Byerley  Turk. 
Our  horses  are,  under  kind  intelligent  treatment,  eminently 
teachable,  but  their  high  spirit  is  often  broken  by  brutality 
and  impatience.     The  horse  possesses  great  nervous  sensi- 
bility, and  is  easily  disposed  to  the  various  impressions  of 
fear,  affection,  and  dislike.     The  rider  should  endeavour  to 
establish  a  sort  of  mesmeric  lingual  influence  over  his  horse. 
Nothing  is  better  calculated  to  calm  and  steady  a  horse, 
to  make  him  obedient  to  his  master's  will,  to  prevent  an 
accident,  or  to  reassure  a  frightened  animal,  than  the  con- 
fidence he  feels  in  the  voice  he  is  accustomed  to  hear,  in 
tones  of  kindness,  reproof,  or  commendation. 

"  Soothe  him  with  praise,  and  make  him  understand 
The  loud  applauses  of  his  masters  hand."  * 

This  is  the  secret  of  the  Arab's  proverbial  whispering  in  his 
horse's  ear. 

*  Dryden. 


THE    WALK.  59 


The  Walk. 

Much  valuable  instruction  is  gained  from  that  apparently 
simple  pace,  the  walk,  which,  of  course,  is  the  first  ventured 
upon,  and  ought  to  be  practised  for  some  time  before  any  of 
the  other  paces  are  attempted.  It  is  in  this  slow  pace  that 
the  rider  acquires  the  fundamental  lessons  of  seat,  the  aids, 
of  turning,  inclining,  stopping,  reining  back,  and  so  forth. 
The  novice,  therefore,  will  do  wisely  to  practise  all  these 
movements  at  the  walk,^always  keeping  his  horse  well  up  to 
his  bit  and  exacting  a  quick  animated  step,  free  from  even  a 
suspicion  of  ambling.  The  feel  on  the  mouth  should  be 
such  that  every  beat  of  his  action  is  delicately  but  distinctly 
felt.  The  horse  must  not  be  permitted  to  move  forward 
the  moment  his  rider  springs  from  the  ground  or  is  in  the 
saddle  ;  a  well  trained  animal  should  not  stir  till  he  gets 
the  "  office  "  to  walk — the  slight  pressure  of  both  legs  and  the 
feel  of  his  mouth  equally  with  both  reins.  The  rider's  hands, 
not  more  than  six  inches  apart,  should  then  be  down  just 
in  front  of  his  thighs,  with  a  good  long  hold  of  the  reins 
behind  the  pommel.  This  is  not  strict  riding-school  teach- 
ing, but  the  position  is  unrestrained,  it  gives  the  horse's 
head  due  liberty,  and  looks  well.  He  should  ride  in  a  per- 
fectly straight  line,  diverging  neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the 
left. 

The  exercise  of  the  circle,  which  can  be  practised  in 
any  convenient  open  space  as  well  as  in  a  riding-house,  will 
be  found  to  greatly  assist  in  giving  firmness  and  grip  with 
balance,  also  in  perfecting  the  hands,  and  in  developing 
the  aids  of  body,  legs,  and  whip.  In  India  almost  all  the 
school  work  is  al  fresco.  A  piece  of  ground  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  long  by  fifty  feet  broad  should  be  staked  or 


6o 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


Otherwise  marked  out,  and  to  this  the  practice  should  be 
confined.  The  accompany- 
ing diagram  describes  the 
lines  to  work  on.  The  two 
large  circles,  A  and  B,  are 
each  fifty  feet  in  diameter 
and  can  readily  be  described 
by  means  of  a  lawn-tennis 
marker ;  the  smaller  ones,  C 
and  D,  are  necessarily  each 
twenty-five  feet  in  diameter. 
The  intersection  of  the  circles 
and  the  termination  of  the 
diagonal  lines  are  the  points 
where  the  ground  is  to  be 
changed  from  one  circle  to 
another.  The  rider  need  not 
confine  himself  to  working 
in  one  circle,  as  this  be- 
comes monotonous  and  irk- 
some, and  moreover  soon 
brings  the  horse  into  the 
treadmill  habit  of  working 
it,  reeUng  it  off  by  rote.  He 
should  never  be  aware  of 
the  rider's  next  move  or  in- 
tention except  through  the 
truth  and  correctness  of  the 
aids. 

After  travelling  round  the 
large  circles,  he  should  be 
guided  to  perform  the  figure  8.  The  number  of  circles  may 
be  multiplied  and  their  diameter  diminished,  the  rider,  from 


THE    WALK.  6 1 


time  to  time,  diversifying  the  track  and  changing  ground 
diagonally  from  one  circle  to  another.  The  number  of  per- 
mutations and  combinations  to  be  described  on  this  Hmited 
area  are  numberless.  The  greatest  exactness,  uniformity 
and  delicacy  must  be  observed  in  their  execution  ;  each  and 
every  circle  or  change  must  be  mathematically  correct.  The 
pace  and  time  must  be  uniform,  and  the  horse,  in  order  to 
readily  obey  the  hand,  must  be  kept  well  up  to  his  bit.  A 
visit  to  any  circus  will  show  the  tyro  that  in  order  to 
preserve  the  poise  of  his  body  the  horse  must  lean  towards 
the  centre  of  the  ring  proportionately  to  the  size  of  the 
circle  and  the  speed  at  which  he  is  working.  Naturally, 
the  rider  must  conform  to  that  inclination ;  both  must  travel 
in  the  same  plane.  In  describing  the  circle,  the  inward 
rein  is  lowered  and  slightly  borne  upon  with  an  even 
pressure;  if  it  be  held  unsteadily,  or  jerked,  the  horse  will 
not  strike  a  true  circle.  He  will  require  also  the  support 
of  the  outer  rein  and,  probably,  the  aid  of  the  outward 
leg,  or  a  slight  touch  on  the  flank  from  the  whip,  which, 
under  any  circumstances,  will  remain  in  the  rider's  right 
hand. 

Most  horses  will  take  their  signals  from  the  inclination  of 
the  rider's  body.  For  instance,  suppose  in  working  these 
circles  and  changes  the  rider  wishes  to  circle  to  the  right, 
he  turns  his  body  slightly  in  that  direction,  drawing  the 
right  leg  a  little  back,  and  advancing  the  left  so  much  for- 
ward. The  hands,  I  have  said,  should  be  low  down, 
slightly  apart,  and  in  rear  of  the  pommel.  I  place  them  in 
this  free-and-easy  position  because  such  a  hold  of  the  reins 
makes  the  rider  sit  square  in  his  saddle,  and  for  another 
reason,  which  is  this  :— In  guiding  a  horse,  pressure  on  the 
off  side  of  the  mouth  guides  him  to  the  right,  and  a 
tightened  near  rein  inclines   him  to  the  left.     Every  one 


62  HORSEMANSHIP. 


knows  this,  yet  in  almost  every  case  one-handed  riders,  by 
exerting  a  rein  pressure  on  the  side  of  the  neck,  expect  hini 

to  forget  all  the  teaching  of  the  breaker  and  to  do  the  very 
reverse.  Colonel  Greenwood,  late  of  the  2nd  Life  Guards, 
writing  on  this  subject,  says,  "  When  you  wish  to  turn  to 
the  right,  pull  the  right  rein  stronger  than  the  left;  this  is 
common  sense.  The  conimon  error  is  precisely  the  reverse. 
The  common  error  is — when  you  wish  to  turn  to  the  right, 
to  pass  the  hand  to  the  right.  By  this  the  right  rein  is 
slackened,  and  the  left  rein  is  tightened  across  the  horse's 
neck  ;  and  the  horse  is  required  to  turn  to  the  right  when 
the  left  rein  is  pulled.  It  is  to  correct  this  common  error, 
this  monstrous  and  perpetual  source  of  bad  riding  and  bad 
usage  to  good  animals,  that  these  pages  ('  Hints  on  Horse- 
manship ')  are  written.  I  never  knew  a  cavalry  soldier, 
rough-rider,  riding-master,  or  any  horseman  whatever^ 
who  turned  his  horse,  single  handed,  on  the  proper  rein.'' 
Again  :  "  The  soldier  who  is  compelled  to  turn  to  the  right 
by  the  word  of  command,  when  the  correct  indication  is 
unanswered,  in  despair  throws  his  hand  to  the  right.  The 
consequence  is,  that  no  horse  is  a  good  soldier's  horse  till 
he  has  been  trained  to  turn  on  the  wrong  rein."  AVithout 
the  same  excuse  for  it,  the  same  may  be  said  of  all  ladies 
and  all  civilians  who  ride  with  one  hand  only,  and  of  almost 
all  who  ride  with  two  hands ;  for,  strange  to  say,  in  turning, 
both  hands  are  generally  passed  to  the  right  or  left ;  and  I 
have  known  many  of  what  may  be  called  the  most  perfect 
straightforward  hands — that  is,  men  who,  on  the  turf,  would 
hold  the  most  difficult  three-year-old  to  the  steady  stroke  of 
a  two-mile  course  and  place  him  as  a  winner, to  half  a 
length,  who,  on  the  hunting  field,  would  ride  the  hottest  and 
the  most  phlegmatic  made  hunter  with  equal  skill,  through 
all  the  difficulties  of  ground,  and  over  every  species  offence, 


THE    WALK.  63 


with  admirable  precision  and  equality  of  hand ;  or  who,  on 
the  exercise  ground,  would  place  the  broken  charger  on  his 
haunches,  and  make  him  walk  four  miles  an  hour,  canter  six 
and  a  half,  trot  eight  and  a  half,  and  gallop  eleven,  without 
being  out  in  either  pace  a  second  of  time — but  who  have 
marred  all  by  the  besetting  sin  of  side-feeling,  of  turning 
the  horse  on  the  wrong  rein.  The  consequence  is,  that 
they  can  ride  nothing  which  has  not  been  trained  to  answer 
wrong  indications. 

When  .riding  with  one  hand  on  a  double  bridle,  it  is  ex- 
pedient that  each  rein  should  lie 
between  two  fingers.  This  is  not 
the  rule,  but  it  has  two  advantages ; 
the  one,  that  all  the  inner  sensitive 
surfaces  are  exposed  to  the  sense 
of   touch,   the   other,   that  a  much 

stronger  hold  is  obtained.  If  the  bit  reins  be  divided  by 
the  third  in  lieu  of  the  little  finger,  the  reins  will  then  be 
properly  divided,  and  the  hand  more  alive  to  the  feel  of 
the  horse's  mouth.  The  reins,  therefore,  should  enter  the 
left  hand  in  this  order:  The  right  bridoon  uppermost, 
between  the  index  and  second  finger,  the  right  bit  between 
second  and  third,  the  left  bit  between  third  and  little,  and 
left  bridoon  under  the  little  finger.  The  mass  of  spare  rein, 
brought  up  through  the  hollow  of  the  hand,  leaves  it  in  the 
following  reversed  order,  falling  over,  like  the  mane,  the 
off-side  of  the  neck,  all  being  tightly  stopped  by  the  pressure 
of  the  thumb,  thus :  Left  bridoon  uppermost,  touching  the 
thumb,  the  left  bit  next,  then  'the  right  bit  followed  by  the 
right  bridoon  touching  the  first  finger. 

In  the  event  of  the  right  hand  being  requisitioned,  the 
bridoon  rein,  off  side,  is  taken  between  the  second  and  third 
fingers,  and  the  bit,  if  need  be,  between  the  third  and  little 


64  HORSEMANSHIP. 


fingers,  or,  if  preferred,  the  outside  of  the  little  finger  rests 
on  it,  both  reins  being  stopped  by  the  thumb,  as  before, 
over  the  second  joint  of  the  index  finger;  or  the  thumb 
can  advantageously  be  left  free.  Thus  on  either  hand  there 
will  be  an  equal  tension  of  the  four  reins,  and  the  horse- 
man will  be  in  the  best  possible  position  to  control  and 
direct  the  horse. 

When  riding  an  animal  with  a  fine  or  sensitive  mouth  the 
horseman  cannot  be  too  cautious  as  to  how  he  uses  the  bit 
reins.  Tlie  movements  of  the  hands  in  bearing  upon  either 
rein  are  precisely  the  same,  save  that  in  handling  the  bit,  on 
account  of  its  greater  power,  a  greater  delicacy  is  requisite. 
A  well-bitted  and  handy  horse  can,  when  the  rider  has  all 
the  reins  in  the  left  hand,  be  readily  turned  to  the  right, 
provided  he  is  going  up  to  his  bridle,  as  follows,  and  the 
movement  is  almost  imperceptible.  Turn  the  wrist  down- 
ward so  as  to  bring  the  heel  of  the  hand  nearer  the  body, 
at  the  same  time  drawing  the  elbow  back  just  sufticient  to 
bring  a  trifle  more  tension  on  the  off  reins.  Should  the 
horse  not  at  once  respond,  a  touch  with  the  right  heel  well 
behind  the  girths  will  send  his  croup  over  to  the  near  side 
and  bring  his  fore  hand  round  in  the  desired  direction.  In 
order  to  turn  to  the  left,  the  action  must  be  reversed  :  the 
\\Tist  is  turned  so  as  to  bring  the  nails  uppermost  and  the 
knuckles  downwards;  this  will  bring  pressure  on  the  left 
reins,  w^hich,  by  bringing  the  elbow  forward  and  letting  the 
hand  go  over  a  couple  of  inches  or  so  to  the  right,  will  be 
increased  ;  the  application  of  the  left  heel  will  then  complete 
the  turn.  But  by  far  the  most  certain  method  is  to  take 
the  reins  in  both  hands.  Except  when  a  horse  is  well 
trained,  and  works  well  up  to  his  bridle,  the  effect  of  the 
reins,  when  held  in  one  hand  only,  cannot  be  depended 
upon  with  the  same  certainty  as  when  both  hands  are  em- 


THE    WALK.  65 


ployed.  The  cavalry  soldier  must,  of  course,  have  his 
sword-arm  free  for  the  use  of  his  weapon — sabre  or  lance — 
but  with  civilians  there  is  no  need  for  such  freedom  of  the 
dexter  hand. 

Nothing  that  I  know  of  is  so  well  calculated  to  give  the 
novice  unyielding  rigidity  of  hand  as  to  take  his  first  lessons 
outside  a  wretched  stale  old  drone  more  fit  to  do  night  work 
with  a  "growler"  than  to  carry  a  saddle.  In  Australia, 
when  a  bullock  gets  bogged,  the  bushman  fixes  one  end  of 
a  strong  rope  to  his  horse's  tail,  and  the  other  is  made  fast 
to  the  beast's  horns,  and  the  beeve  is  speedily  hauled  out. 
Many  of  the  old  "  crocks  "  provided  by  riding-masters — so- 
called — have  as  much  feeling  in  their  mouths  as  in  their 
tails,  and  the  effect  of  riding  such  jaded  callosities  may  be 
readily  imagined.  What  "give-and-take"  movement  can 
there  be  with  a  dead  pull  on  a  mouth  as  hard  as  the  nether 
millstone?  what  better  recipe  for  destroying  sensitiveness 
of  hand  and  elasticity  of  wrist  ?  what  greater  inducement  to 
the  beginner  to  ride  in  the  plodding  slave's  mouth?  On 
the  other  hand,  there  is  no  more  certain  way  by  which 
to  unsteady  and  unnerve  the  pupil,  than  to  put  him  on 
high-spirited,  excitable,  fidgety,  restless  horses,  or  on  those 
with  mouths  so  light  that  they,  unable  to  face  the  bit,  in 
order  to  get  the  pressure  off  the  bars  and  into  the  corners 
of  the  lips,  go  with  their  noses  stretched  out  like  giraffes — 
'*  stargazing,"  as  it  is  termed. 

"  Hands  "  such  as  possessed  by  the  late  Fred  Archer  arc 
natural  gifts.  To  a  few,  a  very  few,  is  given  the  power  of 
immediately  adapting  them  to  the  pecuHarities  of  any 
horse's  mouth,  and  this  exquisite  sensibility  of  touch  is 
more  freely  bestowed  on  the  gentler  sex.  This  much-to-be- 
envied  power  may  be  by  long  and  varied  practice  developed 
into  a  high  art  \  but  if  the  germ  be  not  implanted  nothing 

F 


66  HORSEMANSHIP. 


approaching  perfection  can  be  attained.  Though  the  in- 
born talent  can  neither  be  communicated  nor  self-acquired, 
still  the  means  of  forming  a  fairly  good  and  useful  hand  can 
be  imparted,  and  by  practice  and  study  a  certain  amount  of 
cultivation  arrived  at.  Archer  began  riding  as  a  child,  and 
the  finest  exhibitions  of  handling  of  horses  I  have  ever  seen 
preponderate  among  those  who  have  been  in  the  saddle 
from  their  youth  upwards.  My  readers  must  not  on  this 
account  despair ;  for  though  that  indescribable  finish,  which 
a  few  of  either  sex  can  lay  claim  to  may  be  denied  to  them, 
the  safety,  grace,  and  excellence  of  ordinary  riding  is,  with 
few  exceptions,  within  the  reach  of  all. 

To  preserve  a  light,  easy  feeling  upon  the  horse's  mouth 
the  hands  should  not  be  clamped  on  to  the  reins  like  a 
vice,  but  only  sufficiently  closed  to  prevent  the  reins  slipping 
or  being  drawn  through  the  fingers.  The  alternate  relaxa- 
tion and  contraction  of  the  fingers  on  the  reins,  though  all 
but  imperceptible,  will  be  reciprocated  by  the  horse  j  a  sort 
of  electric  current,  so  to  speak,  is  by  this  operation  estab- 
lished and  continued  between  the  hand  and  the  bars  of 
the  mouth,  any  sense  of  "  dead  pull  "  is  done  away  with,  the 
mouth  does  not  become  heated  and  hardened,  the  horse's 
attention  is  kept  on  the  qui  vire,  and  he  moves  pleasantly 
under  full  command.  The  hand  must  be  one  continued 
active  spring  in  correspondence  with  the  motions  of  the 
horse's  head,  and  the  lighter  the  play  of  the  spring  the  better. 
The  hands  that  control  with  the  most  delicate  touch  always 
hold  the  master-key.  Force  contre  force  may  sometimes  be 
called  for  \  there  is  no  rule  without  its  exception,  but  with 
horses  the  light  hand  wins  the  day. 


THE    TROT.  67 


The  Trot. 

Once  more,  and  without  apology  for  so  doing,  I  refer  to 
the  "up-stirrup"  practice  so  strongly  advocated  and  so 
constantly  put  into  practice  by  that  fine  horseman,  the  late 
Captain  Percy  Williams,  of  that  good  old  fighting  corps, 
the  9th  Lancers,  as  the  shortest  cut  towards  attaining  a 
thoroughly  firm  and  workmanlike  seat.  Nothing  shakes 
the  beginner  so  quickly  and  so  thoroughly  down  into  his 
saddle.  As  a  groundwork  for  beginners  there  is  nothing 
like  "up  stirrups."  I  do  not  advocate  the  doing  away  with 
these  aids  entirely,  for  without  them  no  one  can,  in  our 
saddles  or  in  any  other  that  I  know  of,  ride  to  the  best 
advantage ;  but  to  give  the  tyro  grip  with  balance  they,  in 
the  A  B  C  of  equitation,  should  be  left  in  the  saddle-room. 
When  the  cavalry  recruit  is  first  allowed  these  luxuries  they 
are  invariably  a  hole  or  two  longer  than  they  will  be 
eventually  fitted,  so  that  his  dependence  on  them  as  "  hold- 
fasts "  may  be  Hmited,  and  that  he  may  bring  every  muscle 
into  play  to  secure  his  equilibrium.  No  man  can  lay  valid 
claim  to  the  title  of  horseman  till  he  feels  himself  thoroughly 
at  home  in  the  saddle  under  all  emergencies  without 
stirrups. 

We  take  it  for  granted  that  the  pupil,  by  close  attention 
to  the  instruction  he  has  already  received,  and  by  constant 
practice,  has  acquired  a  close,  strong,  and  flexible  seat,  and 
that,  together  with  grip  and  balance  he  has,  to  some  extent, 
mastered  the  "  aids,"  the  action  of  hands  and  legs  being 
simultaneous.  Without  stirrups  the  trot  is  the  most  difiicult 
of  all  paces.  The  position  of  the  body  of  the  rider,  with  or 
without  stirrups,  must  be  precisely  the  same,  the  toes  raised 
and  the  feet  nearly  parallel  to  the  body  of  the  horse.     There 


68 


HORSEMANSHIP, 


is  a  tendency  of  the  toes  to  droop  and  point  outwards  when 
the  foot  is  not  supported  by  the  stirrup  irons,  which  position 


^.T 


THE   TROT. 


not  only  eases  off  the  due  pressure  of  the  inside  of  the  knee 
and  thigh,  transferring  it  to  the  calf,  but  produces  a  con- 
strained and  unsightly  appearance. 


THE   TROT.  69 


The  rider  must  bump  the  saddle,  there  is  no  help  for  it ;  but 
the  jolting  will  do  his  liver  good,  and  strengthen  the  muscles 
of  his  stomach.  He  must  rise  and  fall  with  the  pace  of  the 
horse ;  but  a  good  deal  of  the  "  bone  setting  "  may  be  got  rid 
of  by  allowing  both  body  and  limbs  to  be  perfectly  flexible 
and  free  from  restraint,  except  so  far  as  to  preserve  the  proper 
position  in  the  saddle  and  to  guard  against  the  tendencies 
above  referred  to.  With  the  bridle  in  both  hands,  using  the 
bridoon  reins  only,  his  first  trot  must  be  slow  and  of  short 
duration.  He  must  not  seek  support  from  the  bridle,  or  by 
clinging,  like  a  sailor  shinning  up  a  bare  pole,  to  the  sides 
of  his  horse,  but  must  sit  well  down  and  endeavour  to  find 
his  seat  by  the  aid  of  the  balance  alone.  If  nature  has 
endowed  him  with  round  thick  thighs  and  short  muscular 
legs,  why  then  he  will  have  a  inauvais  quart  dWieure,  and  a 
rough,  slippery  fifteen  minutes  it  will  be.  Men  with  long 
flat  thighs  will  take  to  the  novel  situation,  if  not  nervous, 
like  young  ducks  to  water.  Once  perfected  in  the  trot,  all 
the  rest  is  comparatively  plain  sailing.  To  beginners  first 
lessons  must  be  slow  and  of  short  duration,  and  the  horse 
selected  to  take  them  on  had  better  be  well  bred,  with  springy 
pasterns,  and  an  elastic  yielding  spine.  Many  tyros,  whose 
muscles  and  interior  economy  are  unused  to  the  eftbrt,  will 
soon  tire,  others  become  numbed,  and  in  warm  close 
weather  I  have  known  not  a  few  suffer  from  giddiness. 
Under  such  circumstances,  an  immediate  halt,  with  a 
friendly  grip  on  mane  or  pommel,  is  allowable.  Of  course 
the  rider,  say  what  the  instructor  may,  will  at  first  endeavour 
to  promote  a  rise  at  the  expense  of  the  bars  or  angle  of  the 
horse's  mouth.  Some  there  are  who,  if  allowed  stirrups, 
will  rise  in  them  to  make  the  horse  raise  a  trot,  not  having 
learnt  the  fact  that  the  trotting  of  the  horse  induces  the 
rising,  not  the  rising  the  trot.     Others  work   their  arms 


70  HORSEMANSHIP, 


and    commence   ducking    up    and   down,    like  feminines 
dipping  in  the  sad  sea  wave. 

After,  as  in  the  walk,  a  course  of  "  single-ride  "  and  circHng 
as  advocated  in  this  chapter,  the  rider  will  have  mastered  the 
primary  difficulties  of  the  trot,  and  he  may  now,  at  the  close 
of  each  day's  practice,  be  indulged  with  stirrups  a  hole  or  two 
longer  than  he  will,  perhaps,  care  for.  As  he  improves,  he 
will,  according  to  the  action  of  the  horse,  be  properly  fitted 
in  respect  of  length  of  leather.  The  stirrup  will  be  brought 
to  meet  the  foot — the  leg  being  in  its  proper  position — not 
the  foot  to  the  stirrup.  At  first  he  must  not  be  encouraged 
to  rise  in  his  stirrups,  but  to  sit  well  down  in  his  saddle — the 
whole  of  the  body  springing  from  the  elasticity  of  the  balls 
of  the  feet  bearing  on  the  stirrup  together  with  the  flexibility 
of  the  ankles  and  knees.  Having  found  his  balance,  he  may 
then,  with  such  grace  and  ease  as  he  can  command,  gently 
rise  and  fall  with  the  action  of  the  horse — taking  care  not  to 
exhibit  too  much  daylight  between  himself  and  the  saddle, 
also,  as  already  protested  against,  seeing  that  his  feet  do  not 
''swag,"  or  swing  forward,  as  he  falls  into  his  seat,  or, 
pendulum-like,  travel  back  under  him  as  he  rises.  A  very 
ugly  and,  amongst  old  gentlemen,  prevalent  trick  or  habit 
the  pupil  should  be  warned  against,  viz.  the  conversion  of 
the  elbows  into  wings  wherewith  to  aid  the  body  in  adjusting 
itself  to  meet  the  bump.  It  always,  to  me,  conveys  the 
impression  of  an  ugly  old  duck  emerging  from  some  horse- 
pond,  and  on  tip-toe  flapping  his  pinioned  wings. 

Once  the  rider  has  acquired  the  art  of  rising  on  the  leading 
leg,  has  learnt  to  overcome  the  mysteries  of  the  double  bump, 
and  can  collect  and  extend  his  horse  to  any  speed  he  wills, 
he  may  for  greater  ease,  taking  some  living  George  Rice  for 
his  model,  slightly  alter  his  seat.  Without  reaching  his  back 
or  thrusting  his  chin  out,  he,  still  well  down  in  his  saddle. 


THE   TROT,  71 


may  incline  his  body  from  the  loins  just  a  little  forward, 
bringing  his  hands  inwards  towards  his  waist.  The  hands — 
wrists  rounded  so  that  the  nails  are  towards  the  body — remain 
stationary,  the  body,  as  it  rises  and  falls,  approaching  and  then 
retiring  from  them — the  greatest  distance  between  the  hands 
and  the  waist  being,  as  the  body  seeks  the  saddle,  say  four 
inches.  At  the  extreme  of  the  rise  the  lower  waistcoat  button 
will  touch  the  hands  without  disturbing  them.  This  is  an 
essentially  quiet  style  of  riding ;  the  rise  and  fall  is  minimised 
so  as  to  be  almost  imperceptible;  it  gives  spring  to  the 
shoulders,  elbows  and  wrists,  and  favours  light,  sensitive 
handling. 

In  seeking  to  catch  the  cadence  of  the  rise  the  rider 
should  be  up  in  his  stirrups  when  the  off  fore  leg  is  down ; 
the  time  being  taken  from  this  foot.  The  rise  must  not 
be  made  suddenly,  or  with  a  jerk ;  the  impetus  must  come 
from  the  horse.  It  is  far  more  elegant  to  underdo  than 
overdo  movement.  A  man  jumping  up  and  down  in  his 
saddle,  like  a  stamp  in  an  ore  crusher,  must  be  a  most 
uncomfortable  load  for  the  poor  beast  whose  vertebrse  he  is 
pounding.  A  horse  at  the  trot  must  not  be  permitted  to 
hang  on  the  rider's  hand,  or  to  dawdle  in  his  pace ;  the  pace 
must  be  true.  Should  he  go  "unconnected,"  i.e.  half 
cantering  and  half  trotting,  it  is  impossible  to  keep  even 
motion  with  him.  If  urged  beyond  his  pace  he  will  what  is 
termed  "  break  up,"  and  go  all  abroad,  perhaps  break  into 
a  gallop.  In  such  case  he  must  be  pulled  up,  steadied,  and 
once  more,  with  his  head  in,  made  to  step  clean,  light  and 
evenly.  He  must  not  on  any  account  be  rated  or  punished, 
the  fault  was  not  his ;  he  was  asked  to  go  faster  than  his  legs 
could  carry  him.  A  few  caresses  and  kind  words  will 
*' gentle"  him.  In  this  little  island  eight-and-a-half  miles 
an  hour  is  as  fast  as  a  common  hack  or  park  trot  need  be, 


72  HORSEMANSHIP. 


if  well  done  :  we  leave  "  under  the  thirties  ''  to  our  go-ahead 
transatlantic  cousins. 

The  Canter. 

From  the  trot  the  horse  naturally  springs  into  the  canter, 
that  is  if  the  rider  knows  how  to  prepare  him  for  it.  I  must 
here  refer  the  reader  to  the  chapter  on  Action,  in  which  this 
armchair  pace  is  fully  described.  How  often  do  we  see  a 
"  muff"  endeavouring  to  put  his  horse  from  a  trot  into  a 
canter.  First  a  dig  in  the  ribs  with  one  heel,  to  be  followed 
by  a  jam  from  both — klk  !  klk  !  klk  !  a  chuck  with  one,  then 
with  both  bits  at  the  poor  brute's  mouth,  and  an  inviting 
rise  in  the  stirrups.  The  trot  becomes  a  faster  and  more 
unconnected  trot,  still  no  canter,  the  pace  degenerating  into 
a  sort  of  a  go-as-you-please  indescribable  double-shuffle — a 
cross  breed  between  the  gait  of  a  galloping  cow,  the  rack  of 
a  Jerusalem  jackass,  and  the  "  flippant  shtep"  of  an  Irish 
pig  with  a  lead  to  its  hind  leg.  Another  fumble  with  the 
reins,  more  back-heeling,  spiced  with  a  Uttle  red-hot  profanity 
perhaps,  and  a  *'  rib-binder  "  from  the  whip,  drive  the  quad- 
ruped into  a  sprawling  gallop,  wrong  leg  leading,  the  reins 
are  here,  there  and  everywhere,  bunched  up  all  of  a  tangle, 
and  the  Mr.  Washball,  to  save  a  runaway  or  a  cropper,  has 
to  pull  up  as  best  he  can. 

The  Canter  is  an  artificial  pace,  during  which,  in  a  repe- 
tition of  short  bounds,  the  forehand  rises  first  and  higher 
than  the  quarters.  Though  the  easiest  of  all  to  the 
rider,  it  is  the  most  tiring  and  trying  to  the  horse.  The 
horse  being  light  in  hand  and  well  balanced — having  pre- 
viously, when  in  the  hands  of  the  breaker,  been  tutored  in 
Bending,  Reining-in,  and  in  obeying  the  pressure  of  the  leg 
— can  be  made  to  strike  a  canter  from  the  halt,  walk,  or 


THE   CANTER. 


73 


74  HORSEMANSHIP. 


trot.     The  great  secret  in  striking  off  is  to  take  the  weight 
off  the  leg  you  wish  the  horse  to  lead  with.     Should  the 
horse  be  at  all  awkward  in  this  pace,  the  best  plan  is  to 
give  him  ten  days'  or  a  fortnight's  instruction  in  the  open-air 
riding-school,  suggested  at  page  59.     In  a  state  of  freedom 
a  horse  almost  always  leads,  in  his  three  natural  paces — 
the  walk,  the  trot  and  the  gallop — with  the  left  leg,  only 
changing  to  the  right  to  turn  to  that  hand ;  for  this  reason 
it   is   advisable  to   give  him  his  first  few  lessons  working 
entirely  to  the  right.     In  cantering   to  the   right  increase 
the  pressure  of  the  legs,  touching  him,  if  need  be,  with  the 
spur,  restraining  him  with  the  reins,  preferably  the  curb, 
and  at  starting  throw  all  the  weight  possible  on  the  near 
hind  leg.     The  excess  of  pressure  on  the  mouth  should  be 
exerted  by  the  left  hand,  that  on  the  horse's  side  from  the 
rider's  right  leg.     This  excess  of  bearing  on  the  near  side 
of  the  mouth  is  not  to  turn  the  horse  to  the  left,  but  to 
bring  all  the  weight  on  the  near  side.     Always  place  the 
horse  in  position  before  asking  him  to  strike  off.     In  this 
position  his  off-legs  are  at  liberty,  and  the  forward  impulse, 
communicated  by  the  aids,  compels  him  to  use  them.     The 
light,  playful  action  of  both  hands  raises  his  forehand,  the 
pressure  of  both  legs  makes  him  bring  his  haunches  under 
him,  and  the  prick  of  the  spur  sends  him  forward.     Care 
must  be  taken  that  he  does  not  bore  on  the  bit,  but  that 
it  exerts  a  reining-in  influence,  otherwise  the  leg  and  spur 
will   only   communicate   a   forward   influence   without   the 
essential  bringing  in  of  the  haunches,  when  the  effect  on  the 
hind  quarters  is  lost.     In  cantering  to  the  right  the  off  fore- 
leg leads,  followed   by  the  off  hind;   in  cantering  to   the 
left  the  placing  of  the  legs  is  reversed.     Teach  him  to  work 
in  a  circle,  to  commence  with,  and  then  on  the  straight  line. 
Once  perfect  in  working  in  these  two  directions,  then  teach 


THE   CANTER.  75 


him  to  circle  to  the  left,  to  change  legs'  on  the  move, 
to  strike,  either  leg  leading  at  your  option,  a  canter  from 
both  the  halt  and  the  trot,  and  to  turn  to  the  right  and 
left  without  alteration  of  pace.  The  canter,  though  collected, 
should  never  be  so  slow  as  to  effect  the  lightness  and 
spring  of  the  horse's  action,  and  must  not  be  permitted  to 
develop  into  a  hand-gallop.  In  bringing  the  horse  to  a 
walk,  do  not  permit  him  to  fall  first  into  a  trot.  Plenty  of 
"  Reining-back  "  practice  will  tend  to  get  the  horse  well 
on  his  haunches  and  to  develop  the  use  of  them ;  further, 
it  accustoms  the  animal  to  collect  himself,  to  trust  to  the 
rider's  hand  and  leg  for  guidance,  and  teaches  him  to  yield 
to  his  master's  will.  Never  continue  the  canter  too  long ; 
being  an  unnatural  pace  it  soon  tires  the  horse  and  shakes 
his  forelegs.  The  hands  must  be  constantly  feeling  the 
mouth  in  order  to  retain  the  head  and  neck  in  their  proper 
position,  without  in  any  way  counteracting  the  forward 
impulse  communicated  by  the  pressure  of  the  leg  and  the 
occasional  gentle  reminder  from  the  spur,  if  inclined  to  get 
'*  behind  the  bit,"  or  disinclination  to  go  well  "  up  to  the 
hand."  A  horse  may  canter  as  much  behind  the  bit  as  he 
pleases,  provided  he  does  not  flag,  and  at  once,  in  response 
to  the  pressure  of  the  rider's  leg,  goes  forward  to  the  hand. 
Some  well-trained  horses  canter  handsomely  be  the  reins 
ever  so  lose.  If  a  horse  be  inclined  to  lean  on  the  bit, 
the  best  plan  is  to  yield  to  him,  to  press  both  legs  and 
touch  him  with  the  spur,  by  which  means  he  will  at  once 
come  on  his  shoulders.  A  sudden  halt  from  a  sharp  canter 
may  result,  in  the  case  of  young  horses  especially,  in 
throwing  out  a  curb  or  otherwise  injuring  the  hocks;  it  is 
advisable  therefore  to  slacken  pace  before  halting. 

When  a  horse  has  struck  the  canter  truly,  the  rider's  chief 
object  must  be  to  collect  the  pace.     With  this  in  view  he 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


should  keep  his  hands  low,  with  a  long,  easy  hold  of  the 
reins  in  both  hands,  and  his  legs  close  to  the  horse's  body, 
whose  hind  quarters  must  be  kept  in  a  straight  line  with  the 
forehand.  The  motion  of  an  easy  canter  is  as  comfortable 
as  that  of  a  rocking-chair,  but  when  the  action  is  false,  i.e. 
disunited  with  the  fore,  or  disunited  with  the  hind  legs,  it  is 
the  very  reverse,  and  immediately  makes  itself  felt.  There 
are  three  distinct  movements  in  the  canter  which  are  false  : 
First,  w^hen  in  cantering  to  the  right,  the  near  fore  foot  leads, 
followed  by  the  near  hind.  Second,  the  horse  is  said  to  be 
"  disunited  with  the  fore,"  when  in  cantering  to  the  right  the 
near  fore  leg  is  leading.  Third,  "disunited  with  the  hind 
legs,"  when  the  both  hind  feet  do  not  make  the  same  length 
of  pace,  the  off  hind  remaining  or  being  put  down  further 
back  than  the  near  one.  All  riding  horses,  from  the  race- 
horse to  the  child's  pony,  should  be  taught  by  the  pressure 
of  the  rider's  legs  to  bring  their  haunches  under  them  on  all 
occasions,  whether  at  the  halt  or  at  the  speed.  To  correct 
false  or  disunited  action,  the  most  certain  method  for  the 
beginner  will  be  to  pull  up  into  a  walk  and  then  strike  off 
properly  again.  But  if  this  is  not,  especially  when  riding  in 
company,  convenient,  the  rider  must  pull  him  up  into  a  trot, 
feel  both  reins  to  the  left,  the  horse's  head  being  kept  slightly 
bent  to  the  right,  firmly  close  the  pressure  of  the  left  leg, 
touch  him  with  that  spur,  and  throw  as  much  weight  as 
possible  into  the  near  stirrup.  This  will  bring  his  haunches 
in  and  rectify  the  fault.  In  the  second  instance,  in  order  to 
raise  his  whole  forehand,  close  both  legs  on  him,  let  him 
feel  both  spurs,  feel  both  reins  to  the  left,  his  head  still  slightly 
inclined  to  the  right  and  throw  the  weight  on  the  near  fore 
leg.  In  the  third  case,  the  object  is  to  impede  the  action 
of  the  near  hind  leg  to  bring  that  of  the  off  hind  further 
under  him  and  so  restore  his  balance.    His  head,  therefore, 


THE   GALLOP.  7^ 


is  kept  straight  with  a  good  hold,  and  firm  pressure  of  the 
left  leg  with  application  of  the  left  spur  sends  his  quarters 
flying  over  to  the  offside,  and  he  must  change.  In  all  these 
applications  of  the  aids  the  horse's  temper  must  be  taken 
into  consideration.  It  is  of  importance  that  impulse  com- 
municated to  the  horse  by  voice,  pressure  of  the  leg,  or 
spur,  should  be  tempered  with  judgment  and  knowledge 
of  his  temper  so  that  the  result  sought  for  may  be  obtained 
Avithout  the  risk  of  his  getting  beyond  the  control  of  the 
rider's  hand.  In  the  canter  especially,  the  spur  must  be 
applied  with  caution  and  delicacy. 

The  Gallop. 

In  the  gallop,  as  compared  with  the  canter,  the  horse  no 
longer  throws  himself  back  on  his  haunches  with  his  fore- 
legs lightly  touching  the  ground,  but  throws  the  greater  part 
of  his  weight  on  his  fore-hand ;  the  hind-quarters,  thighs 
and  hocks  now  being  called  on  to  exert  their  full  propell- 
ing power.  For  this  reason,  therefore,  it  is  essential  that 
the  hunter  should  be  well-formed  in  front  of  the  saddle. 
That,  in  addition  to  this,  he  should  be  deep  in  girth,  strong 
over  the  loins,  or  couplings,  with  fully  developed  gaskins, 
goes  without  saying.  The  head  has  to  be  brought  down  to 
its  proper  level  so  that  his  eyes  become  the  lantern  of  his 
feet.  The  great  mistake  most  men  make  in  galloping,  down- 
hill especially  and  over  rough  broken  ground,  is  in  not  giving 
their  horses  enough  play  or  liberty  of  the  head.  In  another 
part  of  this  volume  I  have  assigned  to  the  Australian  stock- 
rider the  position  of  the  first  horseman  in  the  world.  I  should 
not  recommend  one  of  these  colonial  centaurs  to  steer  a 
two-year-old  for  the  Criterion,  or  a  three-year-old  for  the 
Derby  or  St.  Leger;  did  I  possess  a  likely  nag  for  the  Grand 


7»  HORSEMANSHIP. 


National  I  should  not  offer  him  the  mount ;  he  would  be 
very  much  out  of  his  element  in  the  Row,  and  might  not, 
during  his  first  season,  shine  in  the  shires ;  but  taking  him 
all  in  all,  for  covering  long  distances  of  ground,  for  skill 
in  sitting  thoroughly  wicked  and  dangerous  horses,  and  in 
riding  them  through  thickly  timbered  country,  over  break- 
neck fences  and  trappy  ground,  he  has  no  match.  In  a 
mountainous,  log  and  boulder  strewn  country,  full  of 
scarped  rocks  and  dangerous  gulHes  and  ravines  he 
shines  preeminently. 

It  is  on  record,  how  that  Jack  Shirley,  the  whipper-in  to 
the  Tedworth  Hunt,  was  one  day  observed  on  his  famous 
horse  "  Gadsby,"  following  the  hounds  at  a  rattling  pace 
straight  down  hill,  with  a  large  open  clasp-knife  in  his  mouth 
busy  tying  a  whip-cord  lash  to  his  whip.  The  old  trained 
hunter,  by  throwing  his  legs  fonvard  and  his  body  back, 
knew  that  he  was  safe  in  galloping  straight  down  the  turfy 
incline,  and  so  did  hard-riding  Jack  Shirley.  What  was 
seen  with  the  Tedworth  might  be  witnessed  any  day  and 
every  day  in  the  bush.  The  stock-rider,  in  an  ordinary  buck- 
saddle,  with  a  snaffle  bit,  has  to  be  ever  on  the  alert  to  round 
in  some  break-away  steer  or  to  turn  some  pugnacious  bull. 
His  horse,  too,  when  once  he  is  broken  to  the  game,  is  as 
clever  as  a  sheep  dog  :  he  has  full  liberty  of  his  head  and 
uses  it.  The  reader  will  not  dream  of  galloping  in  Rotten 
Row  or  on  the  Queen's  highway,  but  there  is  no  reason 
why  he  should  not,  when  so  disposed,  enjoy  a  "breather" 
on  the  Downs,  or  over  any  good  sound  galloping  ground  ; 
indeed,  should  he  aspire  some  day  to  don  ''  pink  "  he  must 
accustom  himself  to  the  gallop,  On  light  springy  turf,  such 
as  that  of  the  Heath,  at  Newmarket,  he  may  give  his  horse 
his  head  and  let  him  stride  along,  getting  up  in  his  stiriups, 
grasping  the   mane,  and  going   slowly  up  the  last  bit  of 


THE   GALLOP.  79 


rising  ground ;  through  heavy  ground  he  will  ease  him  and 
pull  him  together,  but  he  must  come  fast  and  straight 
down  every  declivity.  I  learnt  this  when  hog-hunting  on 
the  low  rocky  mimosa-covered  hills  of  the  Deccan,  when  he 
who  hesitated  was  lost,  so  far  as  first  spear  was  concerned. 
At  the  gallop,  both  hands  must  be  on  the  reins :  the  rider 
need  not  follow  any  prescribed  rule  in  the  matter  of  holding 
them,  so  long  as  he  keeps  his  hands  low. 

Though  I  do  not  advocate  men  as  a  rule  riding  like 
jockeys,  />.  standing  in  their  stirrups,  still  that  position  un- 
doubtedly eases  both  man  and  horse.  The  long  stirrup 
leather  does  well  when  the  ground  is  not  broken,  but  when 
uneven  surfaces,  such  as  ridge  and  furrow,  water  meadows, 
and  among  ant-hills,  the  leathers  must  be  shortened  a  hole  or 
two.  There  are  degrees  of  raising  oneself  in  the  stirrups  \  it 
cannot  well  be  underdone,  and  is  very  commonly  overdone. 
All  that  is  required  is  that  the  weight  should  be  taken  off  the 
seat  and  cantle  of  the  saddle,  so  that  the  loins  and  propellers 
may  have  full  scope  for  unhampered  action.  If  the  reader  will 
compare  the  long  easy  seats  of  some  of  our  crack  jockeys  — 
men  jockeys,  such  as  Tom  Cannon,  Webb,Watts  and  others — ■ 
and  those  of  the  "  dolls,"  who  usurp  all  the  cream  of  the  riding, 
to  the  detriment  of  the  turf  and  the  horses,  he  will  see  what 
I  mean.  These  men  do  not  get  their  backs  up  like  angry 
cats,  do  not  display  a  lot  of  daylight,  and  do  not  keep  their 
seats  off  the  saddle  by  holding  on  by  the  reins.  When  a 
horse  is  going  over  broken  ground  he  must,  of  necessity,  to 
accommodate  himself  to  its  inequalities,  shorten  or  lengthen 
his  stride.  In  such  case  the  rider,  then  requiring  all  the 
hands  nature  and  art  has  given  him,  must  sit  down  in  the 
saddle,  allowing  the  horse,  as  much  as  possible,  full  liberty  of 
fore  hand,  so  as  to  measure  his  own  distance. 


go  HORSEMANSHIP. 


Dismounting. 

When  the  horse  has  come  to  the  full  stop,  or  halt,  transfer 
the  whip  to  the  left  hand,  slide  the  left  hand  down  the  rein 
till  it  meets  the  horse's  neck,  and  twist  a  lock  of  the  mane 
round  the  thumb  or  forefinger.  Disengage  the  right  foot  from 
the  stirrup ;  place  the  heel  of  the  right  hand  upon  the  off 
side  of  the  pommel-flap ;  and,  supporting  the  weight  of  the 
body  upon  the  right  hand  and  left  foot  in  the  stirrup,  bring 
the  right  leg  gently  backwards  over  the  hind  quarters,  being 
careful  to  clear  the  hip  and  croup,  the  right  hand  gripping 
the  cantle  as  the  body  descends  on  the  near  side.  When 
the  descent  is  to  be  on  the  off-side  these  positions  are  reversed, 
the  right  hand  having  hold  of  the  mane,  the  right  foot  in  the 
stirrup,  and  so  on. 

There  are  more  expeditious  methods  of  dismounting  than 
the  above,  all  requiring  more  or  less  agility,  which  may  be 
practised  with  advantage.  When  the  horse  is  at  a  halt,  or 
walking  slowly,  the  rider,  leaning  a  little  back,  may  disengage 
both  feet  from  the  stirrups  and  throw  his  right  or  left  leg, 
according  to  which  side  he  desires  to  alight^  over  the  horse's 
neck,  sliding  down  with  his  hip  next  the  horse's  shoulder. 
If  he  means  to  come  down  on  the  near  side,  the  reins  will 
be  in  his  right  hand,  and  vice  versa.  This  will  land  him  with 
his  face  to  his  proper  front.  When  throwing  the  leg  over  the 
horse's  neck  he  must  be  careful  that  its  head  is  not  suddenly 
thrown  up. 

Another  speedy  way  in  which  to  leave  the  saddle  is  to 
draw  both  feet  from  the  irons,  to  place  the  heels  of  both 
hands  on  either  side  of  the  pommel,  and,  taking  the  spring 
from  the  hands,  elbows,  and  shoulder,  to  vault  off  the  horse's 
back,  landing  in  a  forward  direction  level  with  his  fore-feet 


SFCr/^S.  Si 


Constant  practice  in  this  last  mode  of  dismounting  will  be 
useful  in  teaching  that,  in  the  hunting-field,  very  essential 
knack  of  falling  clear  of  one's  horse. 

Spurs. 

'*He  tires  betimes,  who  spurs  too  fast  betimes." 

Parash^  the  ancient  Egyptian  for  "  rider,"  is  said  to  have 
been  derived  from  the  Hebrew  root,  to  prick  or  spur ;  so 
that  ''  the  persuaders  "  have  been  used  and  abused  for  some 
three  thousand  years.  I  wonder  how  many  accidents  have 
occurred  during  the  past  centuries,  how  many  good  horses 
have  been  ruined,  how  much  money  lost,  and  how  much 
devilish  temper  and  bile  let  off,  by  the  cruel,  needless,  sense- 
less application  of  the  armed  heel  ?  In  horsemanship  there 
is  no  subject  more  worthy  of  consideration  than  this  use 
and  abuse  of  the  spur ;  and  I  was  pleased  to  find  that  a 
well-known  and  thoroughly  competent  sporting  writer, 
"  Borderer,"  had,  in  an  article  in  Baily's  MagaziJie,  written 
with  his  usual  force  on  the  cruelties  perpetrated  by  many 
riders,  male  and  female,  by  the  untimely  and  far  too  free 
application  of  the  rowels.  Though  Frederick  the  Great 
was  of  opinion  that  his  troopers  did  more  execution  with 
their  heels  than  with  their  sabres,  and  that  the  horses'  weight 
and  initial  velocity  made  more  impression  on  either  cavalry 
or  infantry  than  the  keenest  blade  or  the  sharpest-pointed 
lance,  we  are  not  now  writing  with  a  view  to  charge  squares, 
or,  like  our  heavies  at  Balaclava,  to  ride  clean  through  a 
serried  column  of  dragoons.  Moreover,  we  are  of  opinion 
that  spurless  horsemen,  mounted  on  well-bred  chargers,  if 
their  hearts  be  in  the  right  place,  can  ride  through  any 
square  or  mass  of  men,  provided  they  get  within  striking 
distance  alive — a  contingency  of  some  considerable  difficulty 

G 


82  HORSEMANSHIP, 


in  these  days  of  quick-firing  guns,  repeating  rifles,  and  smoke- 
less powder.  A  well-known  hunting  man  related  the  other 
day  the  following  anecdote,  which  goes  far  to  show  that,  in 
many  instances,  spurs  are  by  no  means  necessary  to  induce 
young  horses  to  face  awkward  fences.  "Some  years  ago 
I  was  riding  with  hounds  in  company  with  ]\Iajor  Whyte- 
Melville.  There  was  a  scare  amongst  several  loose  colts, 
which  ran  down  a  gi'een  lane,  turned  and  jumped  over  a 
nasty,  complicated  fence,  with  timber,  and  a  blind  hedge 
and  ditch — not  one  fell.  He  exclaimed,  '  Had  those  colts 
been  subject  to  a  bad  hand  and  tight  curb-chain,  they  would 
all  have  fallen.'" 

The  uses  of  the  spur  are  few,  its  abuses  many.  Man,  of 
course,  must  maintain  his  supremacy,  and  there  are  occa- 
sions, oft  and  many,  when  a  combination  of  cool  determina- 
tion, plenty  of  time  and  patience,  and  a  little  sharp 
punishment,  are  required  to  curb  some  mutineer  or  to 
quell  some  outbreak.  Without  prompt  and  feeling  punish- 
ment resistance  may  grow  into  a  vicious  habit,  or,  at  least, 
a  wilful  propensity  which  must  at  once  be  curbed.  I  have 
mentioned  the  treatment  slowly  measured  out  by  the  York- 
shire Tyke  to  the  horse  that  positively  declined  to  go  the 
road  he  was  wanted.  But  we  have  not  always  the  time 
to  sit  hour  after  hour,  inwardly  cursing  -the  perverseness  of 
equine  nature.  The  lesson  of  obedience  has  to  be  short, 
sharp,  and  decisive.  The  prescription  must  be  compounded 
of  steel  and  catgut.  The  horse,  with  an  angry  snort,  an 
attempt  to  unseat  you,  and  a  straight  up-on-end  rear,  shows 
fight.  "  Beware  of  entrance  to  a  quarrel ;  but  being  in, 
so  bear't  that  the  opposed  may  beware  thee."  Realize 
these  words  of  Shakespeare,  and  execute  sharp  sentence. 
Anger  in  a  man,  as  in  a  horse,  is  a  short  madness,  so 
during  the  contest  retain    perfect   temper;    do  not  permit 


SPURS.  8^ 


yourself  to  get  into  a  passion,  or  to  drift  into  cruelty. 
Fight  it  out  all  along  the  line,  but  fight  calmly  and  with 
judgment.  First  of  all,  before  proceeding  to  extremities, 
speak  to  him  in  a  stern  voice — he  will  understand  it — 
"  Who-ho,  then !  What  are  you  at,  eh  ?  Steady  !  "  and 
so  forth.  If  he  persists,  then  the  time  for  the  legitimate 
use  of  the  spurs  has  arrived;  sit  firm,  bring  down  your 
whip,  or,  better  still,  ash-plant,  on  his  ears  and  over  the 
shoulder,  on  the  side  he  declines  to  turn  to,  and  let  him 
feel  the  rowels  in  earnest;  strike  with  both  heels  simul- 
taneously immediately  behind  the  girths — it  is  not  given  to 
every  man  to  be  able  to  drive  in  both  spurs  together — and, 
if  necessary,  repeat  the  dose.  You  must  not  be  beaten,  for 
horses  that  have  once  found  out  that  they  can  please  them- 
selves as  to  which  road  they  shall  take  are  never  pleasant 
hacks. 

Another  occasion  when  the  spur  may  be  advantageously 
used,  is  when  a  horse,  not  pumped  out,  that  can  jump, 
baulks  at  his  fences  and  obstinately  refuses.  When  a  good 
game  animal  refuses  it  is  because  he  has  had  enough  of  it, 
and  dares  not  to  trust  himself.  Many  obstinately  decline 
to  face  a  fence,  from  the  fact  of  their  having  been  invariably 
spurred  when  ridden  at  the  obstacle,  and,  as  often  as  not, 
from  having  their  clumsy  rider's  spur  stuck  into  their  arms 
on  landing  and  getting  away  again.  Can  it  be  wondered, 
then,  that,  under  these  circumstances,  many  horses,  especially 
thin-skinned,  sensitive  ones,  detest  the  sight  of  a  jump.  It 
is  with  the  horse  that  can  jump  when  he  likes,  and  only, 
when  he  likes,  that  the  spur  can  best  deal ;  those  that  can 
jump  and  won't  jump  must  be  made  to  jump.  A  friendly  hint 
from  the  rowels  very  often  convinces  a  wavering  horse  that 
his  rider  quite  means  him  to  fly  the  obstacle  in  front  of  him, 
and  this  is  the  case  especially  when  water  has  to  be  cleared. 


84  HORSEMANSHIP. 


The  spur  should  be  the  last  and  not  the  first  resource  of 
the  rider.  Unjust,  ungenerous,  ungrateful  punishment  has 
broken  many  a  brave  heart,  and  crushed  many  a  gallant 
spirit ;  it  has  converted  many  a  noble  nature  into  that  of  a 
savage.  Though  in  the  army  the  recruit  is  allowed  spurs 
before  his  feet  ever  feel  a  stirrup,  the  propriety  of  which 
may  be  doubted,  I  would  not  permit  any  man  to  ride  with 
them  till  he  is  far  advanced  in  the  scientific  application  of 
all  the  aids  of  hand  and  leg,  and  till  he  has  been  well 
instructed  in  jumping  and  riding  all  sorts  of  horses,  with 
and  without  stirrups,  over  a  rough  country. 

As  compared  with  the  whip,  the  spur,  as  a  punisher  or 
"  waker-up,"  has  the  advantage  of  being  "  the  spur  of  the 
moment."  It  comes  without  warning;  the  horse  cannot 
watch  for  it  out  of  the  corner  of  his  eye  as  for  the  whip ; 
he,  if  both  are  applied  together,  as  they  ought  to  be  when 
a  forward  movement  is  demanded,  cannot  swerve,  and 
though  more  dreaded  it  inflicts  less  pain.  The  rider  should 
learn  that  a  prick  from  a  sharp  rowel— and  all  rowels  kept 
for  use  should,  like  the  probe  of  Josh  Billings'  "muskeeter," 
be  "  fresh  ground  and  polished  " — is  quite  as  effective  as  a 
violent  stab.  ^Many  sleepy,  lazy  horses,  especially  those 
that  are  slovenly  walkers,  are  all  the  better  for  an  occasional 
superficial  prick,  just  sufticient  to  awaken  attention.  In 
the  canter,  too,  not  a  few  require  an  occasional  touch  of 
the  spur  to  make  them  go  pleasantly  up  to  the  bit.  To 
spur  a  dead-beaten  horse,  especially  one  that  has  done  his 
best,  is  absolute  cruelty. 

Of  spurs  there  are  several  varieties.  When  riding  in 
Newmarket  or  Butcher  boots,  or  in  leggings,  the  common 
hunting  or  swan-necked  hunting  pattern  will  be  found  the 
most  convenient.  For  park  work  the  plain  box-spur, 
with  either   straight   or   swan-neck,  in    Latchford's   patent 


LEAPING. 


8S 


boxes,  or  the  Gentleman's  box-spur,  also  either  straight  or 
swan- necked,  are  most  in  use.  I  prefer  the  plain,  straight, 
round-necked  pattern,  with  hunting  spike  rowel. 


THE   RIGHT   SORT. 


Leaping. 

A  pupil  should  invariably  be  put  on  a  thoroughly  made, 
safe,  and  pleasant  hunter;  one  that  goes  quietly  and  col- 
lectedly at  his  fences,  and  that  does  not  know  how  to  make 


86  HORSEMANSHIP. 


a  mistake  or  refuse.  Such  a  horse  will  certainly  teach  the 
novice  how  to  ride  him^  and  will,  at  the  same  time,  greatly 
assist  him  in  riding  others.  If  a  man  aims  at  becoming  a 
thorough  workman  over  a  country,  either  to  hounds  or 
"between  the  flags,"  he  must  learn  to  ride  across  any  shire 
in  the  United  Kingdom,  from  Fife  to  Cornwall,  from 
Donegal  to  Cork,  and  on  every  variety  of  horse  from  the 
galloping,  long-striding,  thoroughbred  of  the  Shires  to  the 
thick-set  blood  "  big-little-'un,"  suited  to  the  mountains  of 
the  Principality  or  the  forest  of  Exmoor.  He  will  soon  learn 
the  difference  between  negociating  a  light-flying  country  and 
a  deep-holding  or  rough  one,  between  an  open  and  an 
enclosed  one. 

Before  the  rider  attempts  jumping  he  should  have 
acquired  a  good  firm  close  seat,  well  down  into  the  saddle, 
centaur-like.  He  should  have  no  hankering  after  cobbler's 
wax,  no  inclination  to  part  company  with  his  horse,  despite 
rearings,  plungings,  kickings,  swervings,  and  such-like  re- 
prehensible performances.  In  these  pages  I  have  had 
occasion  to  refer  to  the  balance-seat,  for  without  balance 
there  can  be  no  really  elegant  horsemanship,  but  the 
necessary  grip  of  the  saddle  must  not  be  sacrificed.  Those 
who  attempt  to  ride  over  fences  by  balance  alone  will  find 
they  have  as  much  as  they  can  well  do  to  maintain  their 
seat  over  a  rasper,  especially  if  there  be  a  drop  at  landing ; 
and  a  sudden  swerve  or  decided  refusal  will  most  likely 
entail  a  dissolution  of  partnership.  I  must  stipulate  for  the 
rider  being  perfecty  at  home  in  the  saddle,  for  to  ride 
properly  at  and  over  a  fence,  to  land  cleverly,  and  to  get 
away  again  speedily,  he  must  feel  the  mouth  with  the 
proverbial  "  pack-thread  "  rather  than  with  the  leather  rein, 
and  to  give  his  horse  room  and  liberty  to  collect  himself 
before  taking;  off — the  hands  must  be  divorced  from  the  seat. 


LEAPING,  87 


Some  men,  when  they  have  formed  their  seat,  ride  best 
with  long  stirrups,  some  \\ith  short.  The  best  plan,  in 
fencing,  is  to  ride  with  that  length  of  leather  which  is  most 
convenient  and  easy,  remembering  that  when  too  long  the 
foot-hold  on  the  irons  is  difficult  to  retain,  and  that  for 
support  the  rider  might  as  well  dispense  with  them  and  their 
weight.  In  the  hunting-seat  proper  the  knees  form  the 
grip  and  hinge,  the  inside  of  the  calf  of  the  legs  the  grasp, 
while  the  thighs  enable  the  body  to  rise  and  fall  with  the 
undulating  fore-and-aft  motion  of  the  horse  as  lightly  as  a 
well-balanced  carriage  on  its  springs.  The  stirrups  should, 
therefore,  be  of  a  length  sufficient  to  enable  the  rider  to 
raise  that  nameless  portion  of  humanity  just  sufficiently 
clear  of  the  saddle  to  let  this  system  of  springs  work  freely, 
without  bumping,  when  occasions  arise  demanding  the 
entire  removal  of  pressure  and  weight  from  the  cantle  of  the 
saddle  so  that  the  horse's  loins  may  have  full  play.  The 
rider,  by  merely  rising  in  his  stirrups,  should  at  once  throw 
his  whole  weight  on  to  his  knees,  the  lower  part  of  his 
legs,  and  into  the  stirrups,  into  which  the  foot  should  be 
thrust  well  home.  We  hear  a  good  deal  of  a  ''handsome 
long  seat,"  but,  \vell  as  it  looks,  it  is  not  a  strong  seat,  nor 
one  calculated  to  ease  or  assist  either  horse  or  rider.  What 
is  wanted  is  that  jiist  seat,  compatible  with  an  easy,  erect, 
workmanlike  attitude,  w^hich  enables  the  rider  to  humour 
himself  and  his  mount  by  almost  imperceptible  changes  of 
position  with  a  sort  of  ball-and-socket  movement. 

Having  secured  a  good  jumping  nag,  a  snaffle  hunter  if 
possible,  the  beginner  will  commence  with  the  smallest 
obstacles,  both  as  regards  height  and  width.  I  am  not  so 
much  afraid  of  his  falling  off  as  of  his  unduly  interfering 
with  the  liberty  of  the  horse's  head.  From  the  very  first  he 
must  learn  to  abstain  from  attempting,  by  aid  of  the  bridle, 


88  HORSEMANSHIP. 


to  give  his  horse  the  smallest  assistance.  Though,  by  firm 
handling  of  the  bridle,  the  horse  as  he  nears  a  fence  must 
be  made  to  feel  that  there  must  be  no  refusal,  and  that 
swerving  will  not  be  tolerated;  yet  the  instant  that  he  is 
about  to  gather  himself  for  the  effort,  all  bit-pressure  must 
be  slacked  off,  and  he  must  be  permitted  to  negociate  the 
obstacle  in  his  own  way.  There  is  no  mistaking  the 
indications  a  horse  telegraphs  to  his  rider  when  he  means 
jumping.  When  he  comes  at  his  fence  cheerfully  and 
determinedly,  pricking  his  ears,  and  collecting  his  stride  so 
that  the  powerful  sweep  of  his  haunches  may  be  brought 
to  bear,  he  is  certain  to  try,  and  by  his  momentum  almost 
as  certain  to  land  over  it. 

If  horses  possessed  the  gift  of  speech  they  would,  on 
nearing  a  fence,  be  it  a  flight  of  sheep  hurdles,  a  stiff 
"  oxer,"  a  high,  strong  and  spiteful-looking  buU-fincher,  an 
awkward  stile,  or  water,  exclaim,  ^'  Pray  give  me  liberty  of 
head,  and  ease  off  that  abominable  pressure  on  my  chin, 
unless  you  w^ant  to  cramp  my  jumping  powers,  throw  me 
down,  and  come  yourself  an  'imperial  crowner.'"  We  hear 
of  men  lifting  their  horses  clean  over  big  fences.  It  is  an 
expression  and  nothing  more.  How  can  any  one,  seated 
on  a  moving  object  weighing,  say  twelve  to  thirteen  hundred 
pounds,  to  say  nothing  of  his  own  ten  to  sixteen  stones,  lift, 
without  any  purchase,  over  half  a  ton  off  the  ground  some 
seven  feet  two  and  a  half  inches,  the  height  cleared  recently 
by  the  Canadian  gelding  Filemateur?  When  Emblem 
cleared  thirty-six  feet  three  inches  at  Birmingham,  and 
Chandler  covered  a  still  greater  distance  at  Leamington, 
they  did  so  by  their  own  unaided  enormous  jumping  powers 
and  momentum,  their  riders  did  not  lift  them  the  decimal 
of  an  inch.  A  lately  executed  instantaneous  photograph 
demonstrated  the  fact  that  even  in  the  trot  the  horse's  all  four 


LEAPING.  89 


legs  are  at  times  in  the  air  together  off  the  ground,  and 
numbers  of  sun  pictures  have  proved  the  gallop  to  be  a  suc- 
cession of  bounds.  Nothing  short  of  a  winged  horse  can  be 
"  lifted^''  over  his  fences.  The  action  of  the  hands  and  arms 
in  "lifting"  may  induce  the  horse  to  increased  effort  as  he 
is  about  to  spring,  but  in  the  sense  the  term  is  generally 
applied  it  is  senseless.  In  a  vast  majority  of  cases  this  inter- 
ference \vith  the  due  freedom  of  his  movements  will  flurry 
him  and  prevent  his  taking  off  at  the  proper  time  and  place. 
The  pupil  is  on  a  thoroughly  made  hunter,  and  if  "  on  the 
bare  earth  exposed  he  lies,"  the  fault  will  be  his  own;  he 
must  either  tumble  off  or,  by  awkward  handling  of  the  reins, 
cause  the  horse  to  jump  short  or  otherwise  bungle  the  fence, 
and  so  bring  him  to  grief.  He  must  begin  with  something 
small,  simple,  and  easy,  which  he  must  learn  to  do  well- 
The  horse,  I  take  it,  is  one  of  those  that  can  be  depended  on 
to  jump  in  cold  blood.  Many  of  the  best  that  ever  crossed 
a  country  in  the  wake  of  a  pack  of  hounds  utterly  repudiate 
the  idea  of  "larking"  or.  "schoohng."  On  some  old  hunters 
the  presence  of  hounds  produces  an  excitement  instanta- 
neously recuperative  of  physical  powers — all  their  prostrated 
energies  suddenly  revive,  groggy  stiffness  and  staleness  give 
place  to  sprightly  eagerness,  and,  like  "  the  antlered  monarch 
of  the  waste,"  they  sniff  the  tainted  gale,  and  listening  to 
the  cry  that  thickens  as  the  chase  draws  nigh,  are  eager  for 
the  fray.  But  in  his  sober  hum-drum  moments  of  cold 
blood  this  same  horse  may  positively  decline  to  look  at  a 
fence  of  any  kind.  Many  contend  that  all  horses  dislike 
jumping;  are  afraid  of  it.  Such  is  not  my  experience. 
Some  are  so  fond  of  it  that  no  enclosure  will  keep  them 
within  bounds,  and  I  have  seen  extraordinary  leaps,  not  the 
product  of  fright,  taken  by  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  horses, 
from  the  thoroughbred  yearling  to  the  Shire  colt. 


90  HORSEMANSHIP. 


The  confidence  or  the  courage  of  the  rider  depends,  not 
so  much,  in  the  bulk  of  cases,  on  his  own  inherent  nerve  as 
on  the  character,  strength,  action,  and  cleverness  of  the 
horse  he  bestrides.  A  bold,  big,  and  safe  fencer  generally 
transmits  some  of  his  qualities  to  the  man  on  his  back. 
That  hereditary  possession  of  "  a  spare  leg,"  or  the  wonder- 
ful power  some  horses  possess  of  being  able  to  save  them- 
selves from  a  fall  under  almost  all  circumstances,  transmits 
a  feeling  of  safety,  and  wondrously  reduces  the  size  of  the 
fences.     Rest  assured  there  is  great  virtue  in  the  "fifth leg." 

Let  the  tyro  begin  with  a  low  sheep-hurdle  or  leaping-bar, 
not  higher  than  the  horse's  knees,  closely  and  thickly  inter- 
laced with  or  incased  in  gorse,  and  placed  in  a  narrow  lane, 
a  gap  in  a  fence,  or  in  a  gateway.  In  riding  at  the  jump  he 
should  take  both  hands  to  the  reins  with  a  long  but  steady 
hold,  keeping  his  head  straight  at  the  fence.  Commencing 
at  a  walk  he  should  break  into  a  trot,  and,  in  the  last  few 
strides — more  than  likely  the  horse  will,  of  himself,  quicken 
his  pace  as  he  nears  the  jump  in  order  to  gain  impetus — into 
a  canter,  keeping  the  whole  attention  fixed  on  the  spot 
selected  to  jump.  Where  he  should  jump  is  your  affair,  Jioiv 
he  should  clear  it  is  his  business. 

When  quite  certain  that  he  has  made  up  his  mind  to 
"  have  it,"  without  relaxing  the  hold  of  the  bridle,  quietly  by 
leaning  slightly  forward,  shift  your  weight  on  to  your  thighs, 
knees,  calves,  and  stirrups,  by  which  precaution  the  con- 
cussion or  "hoist"  of  that  sudden  upward  jerk  or  effort 
necessary  to  the  horse  to  clear  it  is  avoided,  and  all  jar  to 
carrier  and  carried  is  prevented.  As  the  horse  alters  his 
position  in  the  air,  or  '^  reverses,"  his  head  and  fore  hand 
being  lower  than  the  quarters,  the  rider's  body,  if  the  reins 
be  not  held  too  short,  will,  by  leaning  back,  naturally  and 
automatically  resume   its   seat   in  the  saddle.      When   the 


LEAPING.  91 


horse  has  topped  the  fence,  and  is  on  his  downward  journey 
along  the  parabola  he  is  describing,  he  extends  his  neck,  and 
should  the  rider's  hold  of  his  head  refuse  to  relax  and  to 
humour  this  extension  motion,  then  the  poor  animal,  on 
landing,  will  be  embarrassed  by  finding  the  said  rider 
perched  on  his  pack-wax  a  foot  or  so  in  front  of  the  saddle, 
his  neck  encircled  by  the  gentleman's  arms  in  perfervid 
embrace.  The  result  may  be  that  both  come  to  the  ground. 
It  is  not  easy,  should  the  horse  at  once  resume  his  pace,  to 
crawl  or  wriggle  back  into  the  saddle,  and  the  effort  gene- 
rally ends  in  a  "pip." 

Had  the  rider  been  possessed  of  strong  arms,  "hands  of 
iron,"  and  a  firm  unyielding  seat,  and  had  he  been  permitted 
to  use  a  curb-bridle,  there  would  probably  be  a  fiasco^  and 
especially  so  if  the  fence  had  been  ridden  at  at  any  pace. 
Denied  that  forward  stretching-out  liberty  of  head,  the  horse, 
pinched  by  the  curb,  with  his  chin  in  his  chest,  *'  props,"  i.e.^ 
sticks  his  two  fore-feet  on  landing  firm  into  the  ground ;  held 
by  the  curb  he  is  unable  to  "  get  away,"  or,  in  other  words, 
to  pick  up  his  fore-feet  and  resume  his  canter  or  gallop,  con- 
sequently the  weight  of  his  own  body,  and  that  of  his  rider, 
multiplied  by  the  initial  velocity,  revolve  in  a  circle  round 
the  firmly  planted  hoofs  and  a  somersault,  the  man  below, 
the  horse  above,  both  on  their  backs,  is  the  unpleasant 
finale. 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  the  tyro  has  to  overcome  is 
the  inabiUty,  at  first,  to  yield  to  the  extension  of  the  horse's 
head  without  being  pulled  forward  out  of  the  saddle ;  he  will 
persist  in  "  riding  in  the  horse's  mouth,"  or  holding  on  by 
the  reins.  In  order  to  obviate  this  tendency  as  much  as 
possible,  a  good  plan — one  only,  however,  to  be  put  in 
practice  when  the  horse  can  be  depended  on  to  jump  for 
certain,  or  when  the  pupil  is  well  advanced  and  well  shaken 


92  HORSEMANSHIP. 


down  into  his  saddle — is  to  take  such  a  long  hold  of  the 
reins  that  the  hands  are  brought  back  as  far  as  the  rider's 
hips.  This  ensures  plenty  of  scope,  for  not  only  are  there 
several  inches  more  length  of  rein,  but  the  elbows  being  bent 
there  is  the  additional  play  of  a  straightened  against  a  flexed 
arm.  The  horse,  as  he  goes  over  and  reverses,  will  avail 
himself  of  the  slack ;  the  hands,  as  his  fore-feet  reach  the 
ground,  will,  without  any  wrench,  be  drawn  in  front  of  the 
body  over  the  pommel  of  the  saddle,  and  the  seat  will  not 
have  been  disturbed. 

After  some  practice  the  beginner  should  learn  to  drop 
the  reins  altogether,  to  go  over  the  fence  with  his  hands 
in  his  pockets,  or  "trussed"  with  a  walking  stick  passing 
across  his  back  and  between  his  elbows  after  the  manner  of 
the  back  board.  Having  practised  with  stirrups  he  should, 
as  confidence  comes,  endeavour  to  do  without  them.  The 
height  of  the  fence  will  be  increased  by  degrees,  and  the 
pace  at  which  it  is  ridden  at  varied.  He  will  walk  quietly 
up  to  it  and  let  the  horse  take  it  standing,  or  he  may  take 
it  at  a  trot,  both  of  which  operations  will  be  found  very 
different  from  the  easy  swing  of  the  canter,  and  especially 
so  if  the  horse  be  short  in  back  and  body,  and  what  is  termed 
a  buck  leaper. 

Almost  any  horse,  particularly  a  fresh  one,  full  of  jumping 
powder  and  "  beany,"  or  a  youngster  full  of  life,  if  cantered 
at  a  small  prickly  fence  will  skip  at  least  fourteen  feet,  land- 
ing as  light  as  a  feather,  without  his  rider  feeling  aught  but 
a  pleasurable  sail  through  the  air;  but  the  upright  rear, 
followed  by  immediate  reversion,  coupled  with  the  violent 
effort  and  hoist  of  the  propellers  is  a  motion  of  a  very 
different  and  much  more  ?^/zseating  kind.  The  shock  to  the 
rider,  till  he  learns  how  to  accommodate  himself  to  the  jerk  of 
the  descent,  is  considerable,  and  this  adapting  of  the  body 


LEAPING.  93 


and  grip  is  only  to  be  acquired  by  practice  on  all  sorts  of 
horses.  It  must  be  learnt,  for,  with  the  exception  of  water, 
double  post-and-rails,  too  close  to  go  "  in  and  out,"  or  big 
fences  with  a  wide  ditch  either  on  the  take-off  or  landing 
side,  all  jumps  must  be  ridden  at  slowly. 

I  have  elsewhere  described  the  peculiar  gate-jumping  pro- 
clivities of  Jack  the  Whip's  Irish  vaulta\  and  of  my  own 
mare  "  Up-she-rises."  To  be  thoroughly  au  fait  the  horse- 
man must  be  equal  to  sitting  such  almost  perpendicular 
performers  as  if  glued  to  the  saddle,  and  without  much  of  a 
strain  on  his  gripping  or  balancing  powers.  Having  become 
proficient  over  one  hurdle  he  should  learn  how  to  negociate 
a  double,  or  what  is  termed  "  in  and  out  clever,"  or  "  the 
double  event."  A  fence  of  this  kind  may  be  readily  im> 
provised  by  placing  another  gorse-laced  hurdle  some  eight 
or  ten  feet  from  that  in  the  gateway,  further  in  the  field  and 
connected  with  it  by  wings.  At  first  the  two  jumps  in  rapid 
succession,  especially  if  there  be  any  hesitation  or  dwell 
between  them,  will  loosen  the  hold  on  the  saddle,  but  that 
will  be  speedily  overcome.  The  first  attempts,  if  made  at 
a  smart  canter,  will  be  found  easy  enough ;  it  is  when  the 
horse  trots  slowly  up  to  the  double  that  the  cobbler's  wax 
is  necessary.  A  landsman  gets  his  "  sea  legs  "  by  a  lex  non 
scripta^  and,  by  the  same  unwritten  law,  the  horseman  main- 
tains his  equilibrium  in  the  saddle  when  his  horse  is  pitching 
in  and  out.  It  is  all  plain  sailing  so  long  as  the  horse  forges 
ahead,  but  should  he  take  it  into  his  head  to  baulk,  to  jump 
the  second  hurdle  side-ways,  or  to  jump  the  wing,  and  the 
rider  be  trusting  entirely  to  balance,  he  may  safely  calculate 
on  being  shunted  over  the  horse's  head  or  spilt  over  his 
shoulder. 

In  riding  at  high  timber  the  pace  must  be  slow  and 
collected.      If  a  horse,  not   trained  to  steeple-chasing,  be 


94 


HORSEMAXSHIP. 


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LEAPING.  95 

rushed  at  a  strong  gate  or  a  stiff  post  and  rails,  he  will 
probably  either  take  off  too  soon  or  too  late,  in  either  case 
lieavily  striking  the  top  rail,  which,  failing  to  give  way,  will 
turn  both  over  a  regular  crumpler.  As  height  and  width 
require  different  efforts,  it  is  needless  waste  of  muscular 
power  to  make  him  exert  both  when  one  will  suffice.  Of 
all  animals  the  deer  tribe  are  the  biggest  and  best  fencers ; 
and  a  hunted  deer,  when  about  to  charge  park  palings  or 
some  unusually  high  obstacle,  will  almost  invariably  slow  down 
to  a  trot.  I  call  to  mind  an  exemplification  of  this.  The 
Indian  antelope,  once  it  has  made  up  its  mind  to  make  a 
certain  point,  cannot  be  turned  from  that  resolve.  At  the 
grey  dawn  of  a  December  morning  we,  a  long  column  of 
cavalry  in  file,  were  on  the  line  of  march,  crossing,  in  pursuit 
of  the  rebel,  Tantia  Topee,  one  of  the  extensive  black 
cotton  plains  of  the  Central  Provinces.  A  tola  of  antelope 
came  galloping  down  on  our  right  flank,  evidently  bent  on 
crossing  the  rough  country  road  along  which  we  were  riding. 
The  men  shouted  at  the  deer  as  they  came  speeding  on,  but 
they  would  take  no  denial,  and  jumped  through  the  line 
wherever  an  interval  or  opening  presented  itself.  One 
corps,  the  Aden  Horse  (Major-General  Henry  Moore,  C.B., 
was  then,  as  a  lieutenant,  in  command  of  the  troop)  was 
marching  in  good  order,  well  "  locked  up,"  and  a  black  buck, 
finding  no  opening,  dropped  into  a  trot,  and  then  with  one 
mighty  bound  flew  clean  over  two  of  the  sowars'  heads. 

Men  who  go  out  (f^/^-hunting  with  the  Queen's  must  have 
observed  how  the  mutilated  half-tame  bucks  always  slacken 
speed  when  about  to  jump  a  very  high  fence.  The  late 
Thomas  Assheton  Smith,  the  possessor  of  the  most  bull-dog 
nerve  in  the  saddle  and  out  of  it,  one  of  the  few,  the  very 
few,  who  occasionally  rode  for  a  fall,  going  at  places  which 
he  well  knew  no  horse  could  leap  over,  never  rode  fast  at 


96  HORSEMANSHIP. 


his  fences.  "  When  a  man  rides  at  fences  a  hundred  miles 
an  hour,  depend  on  it  he  funks  ^^  was  the  oft  repeated  opinion 
of  i]\\?>  pretix  chevalier,  this  ^^ grand  chasseur  Smit."  When 
a  horse  goes  at  a  great  speed  he  cannot  rise  to  any  con- 
siderable height  from  the  ground.  Never  ride  a  beaten  horse 
at  stiff  timber,  for  he  is  almost  certain  to  breast  it,  and  a 
fearful  somersault  may  result.  Double  post  and  rails,  if  they 
are  pretty  close  together,  may  be  taken  in  the  stride ;  they 
are  usually  not  very  high,  and  must  be  ridden  at  with  good 
pace  in  order  to  get  sufficient  impetus  for  the  horse  to  spread 
himself  sufficiently ;  but,  if  to  be  taken  "  in  and  out,"  must 
be  approached  leisurely,  otherwise  he  will  land  too  far  over 
the  first  rail  and  too  close  under  the  far  one  to  permit  of 
his  clearing  the  latter.  This  is  another  description  of  fence 
to  be  avoided  on  a  tired  horse,  and  especially  so  when  the 
posts  are  not  far  apart. 

Very  few  men  care  to  take  a  line  of  gates,  and  yet  they 
are  seldom  as  high  as  most  of  the  fences  an  average  horse 
clears  without  an  effort,  and  the  taking  off  is  usually  sound. 
Stiles,  usually  placed  in  cramped  awkward  corners,  are 
almost  invariably  low,  but  unbreakable.  They  must  be 
approached  at  a  walk,  a  trot,  or  at  a  slow  canter,  for  horses 
are  apt  to  be  very  careless  at  them.  INIoreover,  both  land- 
ing and  taking  off  are  generally  on  or  from  puzzling  ground, 
without  sufficient  elbow  room,  with  a  ditch  and  narrow  plank 
for  foot-passengers. 

Why  both  men  and  horses,  both  first-class  performers  of 
their  kind,  should  shirk  water  is  unaccountable.  In  the  case 
of  the  rider,  deference  to  the  thermometer  and  love  of  his 
clothes  may  act  as  a  deterrent,  but,  surely,  for  the  horse  no 
such  pleas  can  be  advanced.  At  timber,  such  as  it  is  im- 
possible to  surmount,  the  noble  brute  will  not  refuse ;  send 
him  at  a  seemingly  impenetrable   bull-fincher,  the  bottom 


LEAPING.  97 


growth  of  the  thorns  as  big  round  as  a  man's  leg,  and  he 
will  crash  through  it  like  a  rocket,  or  get  ''  hung  up  "  in  the 
attempt ;  at  the  ox-fence  with  its  double  ditch,  a  bank,  a  pair 
of  hedges,  and  a  stiff,  low,  oak  rail  he  disdains  to  turn  tail ; 
but  the  cold  glare  of  water,  \vhich,  without  an  effort,  he 
could  skim  over  in  his  stride  appears  to  paralyze  him.  It  is 
a  sort  of  rubicon  he  may  not  cross.  If  the  footmarks  of  a 
blood-hunter,  one  such  as  we  find  in  the  Shires,  be  measured 
as  he  gallops  over  sound  turf,  it  will  be  found  that  at  every 
stroke  he  covers  twenty-two  feet.  At  Meerut,  North-west 
Provinces  of  India,  the  fourteen  hands  two  inch  high 
Arabian  "Champion"  covered  twenty-one  feet  at  each 
stride.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  it  not  unfrequently  happens 
that  a  mere  ditch  of  glittering  water,  over  which  a  boy  on  a 
pony  ''good  at  water"  would  fly  with  consummate  ease, 
often  stops  an  otherwise  perfect  fencer. 

It  is  the  naked  ugliness  of  the  water  that  creates  this 
aversion  to  the  water  jump,  both  in  the  man  and  in  the 
horse.  I  have  seen  a  man  come  down  to  a  willow  fringed 
brook  like  a  bird  on  the  wing,  his  heart  seemingly  hardened, 
but  as  he  nears  the  chasm,  like  Bob  Acres,  the  courage 
oozes  out  at  the  fingers'  ends ;  the  horse,  only  too  willing, 
perhaps,  feels  and  answers  the  irresolute  pair  of  hands,  the 
gallop  getting  slower  and  slower  dwindles  into  a  canter,  and 
the  two  slither  and  slide  into  the  muddy  clay-bottomed  brook 
together,  and  serve  them  right.  But  the  same  horse  and 
rider  will  not  hesitate  one  moment  if  the  same  expanse  of 
water  be  fringed  and  fronted  by  a  thick  low  hedge,  and  will 
clear  it  in  faultless  style.  People  say  you  cannot  go  too 
fast  at  water ;  and  to  judge  by  the  exhibitions  one  sees  at 
Islington  and  other  shows  this  is  true ;  but  I  take  leave  to 
differ.  That  horses,  unless  ridden  very  freely,  are  apt  to 
refuse  I  admit ;  it  stands  to  reason  also,  that  to  carry  a  horse 

H 


98  HORSEMANSHIP. 


over  wide  water  a  strong  impetus  is  essential ;  but  I  insist 
that,  let  the  pace  be  ever  so  great  at  which  the  horse  is 
brought  down  to  the  jump,  he  must  be  collected  before 
actually  reaching  it.  If  rushed  right  on  to  the  bank  at  the 
verge  of  speed  he  cannot  possibly  measure  his  take  off,  and, 
if  the  bank  be  rotten,  may  flounder  like  a  behemoth  in 
Limpopo,  right  into  the  middle  of  it,  or  chest  the  opposite 
bank.  Spin  him  at  it,  let  him  understand  that  he  has  no 
power  to  resist  your  will,  that  he  must  go  where  resolutely 
directed,  and  bring  him  to  the  brink  primed  but  collected. 

Some  rogues,  when  they  first  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  pol- 
lards, or  a  sight  of  water,  make  up  their  minds  to  cut  it  if 
possible.  When  mounted  on  "^  bnite  at  water '^^  the  rider 
must  hold  his  head  in  a  vice  so  that  he  cannot  refuse,  a 
few  gentle  reminders  from  the  spurs  will  excite  his  courage, 
the  pace  must  gather  as  he  approaches  the  glittering  streak 
or  wintery  flow,  then  a  vigorous  lift  and  ''high  over !  "  will 
land  him  in  the  next  field — if  he  will  but  make  an  eflbrt. 
With  such  a  brute  the  maximum  of  speed  must  be  in  the 
last  few  strides,  for  any  attempt  to  steady  him  on  the  brink 
would  be  seized  hold  of  as  an  excuse  for  refusing.  In  short, 
in  riding  at  water,  the  horse  should  be  taught  that  there  is 
no  time  for  making  two  bites  of  the  cherry ;  that  he  must 
not  go  in  and  out,  but  over.  It  is,  I  grant,  a  very  difficult 
thing  to  slacken  speed  with  any  horse  not  ^^ good  at  water ^ 
When  a  dirty,  muddy  brook,  or  small  river,  which  meanders 
or  rushes  between  two  perpendicular  loamy  banks,  ten  or 
twelve  feet  below  the  level  of  the  field,  is  deep  enough  to 
drown  both  man  and  horse,  and  "dark  as  Iser  rolling 
rapidly,"  the  prospect  is  not  over-inviting  to  either  biped 
or  quadruped. 

Stone  wall  jumping,  on  the  back  of  an  Irish  horse,  or  on 
the  back  of  most  horses,  Arabs  especially,  after  some  prac- 


LEAPING. 


99 


tice,  is  perhaps  the  easiest  and  safest  of  all.  There  are  no 
drains  on  either  side ;  the  horse  sees  what  he  has  to  do  and 
knows  how  to  do  it  co?i  amove ;  they  can  be  measured  to  a 
nicety.  Some  of  the  walls  one  meets  with  in  Ireland  are 
ugly  customers  ;  the  longer  they  are  looked  at  the  bigger  they 
grow,  they  are  to  be  jumped  but  not  looked  over,  and  yet 
the  nimble  natural  fencers  of  the  Emerald  Isle  top  them 
without  an  effort,  flying  them,  no  matter  how  high,  but  almost 
invariably  displacing  a  barrow-load  of  the  top  stones  by  a 
parting  kick  from  the  hind  feet.  Their  riders,  too,  knowing 
no  fear,  send  them  at  these  seeming  posers  at  a  hand  gallop, 
and  yet  few  chip  their  knees.  A  horse  accustomed  to  hunt 
with  the  Galway  Blazers  would  skip  over  our  Somerset, 
Gloucester,  or  Oxfordshire  walls.  Properly  speaking,  when 
a  man  is  not  in  a  great  hurry,  a  wall  should  be  ridden  at 
slowly,  as  recommended  in  the  case  of  high  stiff  timber.  A 
good  wall  jumper  is  not,  as  a  consequence,  clever  at  rails  or 
gates.  Banks,  save  in  the  case  of  Irish  horses,  "  after  the 
manner  born,"  must  be  taken  on  and  off  slowly.  A  clever 
English  hunter,  one  of  those  blessed  with  that  handy  ''fifth 
leg,"  will  soon  learn  how  to  accommodate  himself  to  this 
kind  of  fence,  but  many,  unused  to  it,  will  attempt  to  fly  it^ 
and  so  come  to  grief 

In  Ireland  gates  are  not  so  common  as  with  us ;  the 
connection  between  fields  is  frequently  a  gap  built  up  with 
stones,  after  the  manner  of  a  roughly  improvised  wall. 
Having  grazed  one  enclosure,  the  brood  mare,  a  great  leppej- 
in  her  day,  sees  a  nice  tempting  bite  on  the  top  of  the 
bank,  so  hops  on  the  top  of  it  followed  by  her  foal.  Having 
grazed  the  top,  she  takes  a  fancy  to  spy  out  the  nakedness 
of  the  land  in  the  adjoining  field,  and  drops  quietly  from 
her  perch,  clearing  a  drain  en  roitfe,  and  possesses  herself 
of  it,  the  foal  again  following.     So  the  child  is  brought  up 


lOO  HORSEMANSHIP. 


as  it  should,  and  does,  go ;  and  from  constant  practice, 
when  at  maturity,  charges  these  huge  but  safe  fences  at  any 
speed  from  a  walk  to  racing  pace,  seldom  making  a  mistake. 
He  can  hop  or  crawl  on  and  off  like  a  goat,  jump  on,  and, 
when  broad  on  the  top,  turn  and  go  along  the  bank,  or  will 
charge  it  in  the  most  resolute  fashion,  merely  dwelling  on 
its  crest  for  less  than  a  second  to  bring  his  powerful  haunches 
again  to  bear. 

There  is  but  one  fence  I  would  counsel  the  reader  never  to 
attempt  under  any  circumstances,  unless  it  be  to  escape  the 
attentions  of  a  mad  bull  or  some  such  follower — that  is,  a 
deep  drop  leap  into  a  hard  road.  All  well-trained  hunters 
should  lead  and  ought  to  follow  well  through  cramped  places. 
An  ugly  drop  into  a  road  is  pretty  certain  to  result  in  a  bad 
fall  and  broken  knees,  and  at  such  a  fence  the  rider  is  fully 
justified  in  dismounting  and  leading  by  running  his  whip 
through  the  rein.  The  horseman  who  "  dares  do  all  that 
may  become  a  man,"  need  not  fear  being  twitted  for  nervous 
over-caution. 

The  Irish  train  their  horses  by  leading  them  over  the  high 
banks  and  walls  with  a  long  rein,  a  man  bringing  up  the  rear 
with  a  driving  whip.  After  a  few  practical  riderless  lessons 
of  this  kind  the  colt  learns  the  use  of  his  legs,  and  perfects 
the  schooling  he  has  been  receiving  from  earliest  days.  A 
boy  is  then  placed  on  his  back  and  the  leading-string  tuition 
continued.  After  a  few  rolls  together  they  become  an  fait 
at  the  business.  This,  in  my  opinion,  is  the  very  best 
method  to  be  followed  in  teaching  lads  how  to  sit  a  fence, 
only,  in  the  case  of  my  pupil,  I  would  substitute  an  active, 
sharp  blood-cob  or  pony,  narrow  in  the  back,  for  the  un- 
trained colt.  Seating  him  on  a  51b.  steeplechase  saddle, 
with  a  blanket  rolled  up  in  front,  firmly  strapped  to  the  D's, 
and  no  stirrups,  I  would  have  him  led  by  an  active  groom — a 


TEACHING   THE    YOUNG  IDEA.  lot 

fast  runner  and  good  at  jumping  and  scrambling — over  all  sorts 
of  low  fences.  After  a  bit  the  youngster  would  be  allowed 
the  use  of  reins  and  an  easy  smooth  snaffle,  care  being  taken 
that  he  should,  on  all  occasions,  take  a  long  hold  of  the 
horse's  head,  keeping  his  hands  back  at  least  as  far  as  the 
outer  seams  of  his  breeches.  Such  a  course  of  breaking  in 
will  prove  invaluable,  and  the  boy,  if  his  pluck  be  that  of 
the  ordinary  English  lad,  will  look  upon  the  performance  as 
"a  jolly  lark." 


CHAPTER   III. 

TEACHING   THE    YOUNG    IDEA. 

In  the  introduction  to  this  little  work  much  stress  has  been 
laid  on  the  advantages  of  early  tuition.  I  have  quoted  one 
Arab  proverb,  and  there  is  another  equally  to  the  point  : 
^'  The  young  branch  is  made  straight  without  much  trouble, 
but  the  old  wood  can  never  be  straightened."  Before 
putting  a  child  on  a  pony  we  must  not  only  be  very  careful, 
as  I  have  mentioned  in  my  remarks  on  these  miniature 
quadrupeds,  that  it  shall  be  narrow  across  the  back,  and 
possessed  of  light,  easy  action ;  but  it  must,  in  addition,  be 
very  carefully  trained,  and  paddock  fed.  I  purposely  use 
the  words  "  miniature  quadruped,"  for  the  animal  to  carry 
children  should  be  a  pony,  and  not  a  dwarfed  horse.  As 
compared  with  horses,  ponies  are  possessed  of  more  brain- 
power ;  from  having  to  shift  for  themselves  from  foalhood 
they  are  more  independent,  and  therefore  more  tricky.  Let 
the  pony  for  children  have  as  much  Arab  blood  in  him  as 
possible,   this   Eastern    strain   being    quieter,   more   com- 


i. 

'^/^^Li       '• 

9    ^   .    ■ 

1.     .     '1 

TEACHING    THE    YOUNG  IDEA. 


panionable,  not  easily  frightened,  more  patient,  and  indif- 
ferent to  liberties.     These  desirable  qualities  are  hereditary. 

The  Russian  or  Siberian  pony,  now  so  common  in  this 
country,  is  one  to  be  avoided.  There  is  no  mistaking  this 
Muscovite  visitor.  He  is  invariably  a  cream,  or  dirty 
yellow,  verging  on  chesnut,  in  colour,  long  in  the  body, 
straight  in  the  back,  with  upright  shoulders,  very  narrow 
chest,  and  a  steep,  mean  quarter,  small  donkey  feet,  and  a 
very  short,  unyielding  fetlock.  Two  of  his  marked  peculi- 
arities are  a  short  head,  with  the  eyes  placed  low  down 
from  the  ears,  almost  equidistant  between  muzzle  and  poll, 
giving  the  idea  of  an  exaggerated,  disproportionate  height 
of  forehead ;  the  other,  that  the  chest  appears  to  grow  and 
extend  itself,  like  a  tap-root,  down  the  inside  of  the  forelegs. 
Though  a  very  Caliban  among  ponies,  this  little  commoner, 
with  his  rug-like  coat,  is  as  clever  and  tricky  as  "  a  cart  load 
of  monkeys,"  and  up  to  all  the  pranks  of  a  fresh  yarded 
Australian  Brumby. 

The  pony  is  a  clever,  teachable  little  fellow,  and  if  taken 
in  hand  young  can  be  taught  as  many  tricks  as  a  performing 
dog.  But  what  is  required  for  children  is  extreme  docility ; 
and  until  it  be  trained  to  be  perfectly  safe  to  handle  in  every 
part  of  the  body,  to  carry  anything  alive  or  still  placed  on  it, 
to  permit  the  little  ones  to  crawl  under  it,  and  to  take  no 
notice  of  being  pulled  about  in  any  manner  and  in  any 
direction,  it  is  not  fit  for  beginners  to  practise  on.  No 
nursery  pony  should  ever  taste  oats.  On  grass  in  the 
summer,  and  hay  in  the  winter,  with  the  addition  of  a  few 
roots,  it  will  keep  its  condition  and  do  all  the  work  required 
of  it.  The  distances  some  of  the  Australian  run  or  bush- 
fed  horses  cover  is  almost  incredible.  If  our  horse-owners 
would  but  grow  the  new  forage  plant,  Lathyriis  Silvestris^ 
they  would  curtail  their  corn-chandler's  bills  to  an  extent 


104  HORSEMANSHIP. 


that  would  agreeably  startle  them;  for  this  pea  has  been 
analyzed,  and  is  found  to  contain  all  the  feeding  qualities 
of  the  best  New  Zealand  oats,  and  as  green  fodder,  hay,  or 
in  the  shape  of  either  sour  or  sweet  silage,  is  eaten  with 
great  gusto. 

When  a  good  child's  pony  is  not  to  be  procured — though 
an  advertisement  in  the  Quee?i,  or  some  respectable  society 
journal,  will  generally  supply  the  want — the  best  plan  is  to 
purchase  some  attractive,  quiet  little  fellow,  almost  if  not 
quite  unbroken,  and  educate  him  at  home.  It  is  not 
advisable  to  make  the  purchase  from  a  mob  of  those  bred 
in  a  state  of  nature,  and  fresh  from  the  Shetland  Isles,  the 
Welsh  hills,  or  the  Forest,  wild  as  hawks.  Preference  had 
better  be  given  to  those  that  have  been  some  little  time  in 
captivity,  and  have  become  reconciled  to  and  familiarized 
with  the  various  sights  and  sounds  of  civilized  life.  To 
railway  trains  especially  they  must  be  accustomed,  and  the 
best  way  to  create  indifference  to  their  rush  and  screaming 
whistles  is  to  turn  the  pony  out  in  a  held  adjoining  the 
railroad,  attaching  his  feeding-trough,  fihed  with  some  tempt- 
ing carrots,  to  the  fence  next  the  line,  and  placing  a  crib 
with  some  sweet  hay  alongside  it.  Frequently  lead  him 
over  and  under  railway  bridges  and  let  him  stand  there,  as 
well  as  at  level  crossings. 

All  his  exercise — and  he  must  invariably  be  well  exercised 
before  young  children  are  put  on  him — should  be  on  the 
high  road,  a  crowded  one  for  choice,  so  that  he  may  not 
shy  at  carts,  carriages,  bands,  and  other  strange  objects  and 
sounds.  He  should  be  trained  to  stand  fire  without  flinch- 
ing. The  sense  of  hearing,  very  acute  in  the  equine  tribe, 
requires  education  as  much  as  any  other.  In  a  perfectly 
trained  animal  the  whole  five  senses — seeing,  hearing,  smell- 
ing, feehng,  and  tasting,  must  be  thoroughly  educated ;  he 


TEACHING   THE    YOUNG  IDEA.  105 

must  do  all  that  is  required  of  him  readily,  well,  and  safely, 
without  the  faintest  sign  of  temper.  Should  he  enter  into 
conflict  with  man  he  must  be  forced  to  retire  baffled  and 
defeated.  A  little  forty-two  inch  mite  can,  if  so  minded, 
make  a  stubborn  resistance. 

Children — boys  especially — are  prone  to  be  tyrannical  and 
often  cruel.  Parents  would  do  well  to  impress  on  their  olive 
branches  that  "  humanity  to  animals  is  a  duty  reposing  on 
the  same  foundations  as  the  claims  of  man  to  humanity."  It 
appears  to  me  that  the  abominable  treatment  the  unfortunate 
sea-side  donkeys  are  subjected  to  must  have  a  very  bad 
effect  on  their  infantile  riders,  and  that  the  officers  of  that 
admirable  association  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Animals  are  often  far  too  lax  in  their  supervision  of  these 
long-suffering,  over-worked,  and  shamefully  maltreated  four- 
footed  slaves. 

A  very  able  writer  on  the  subject  of  early  tuition,  which 
he  strongly  advocates,  a  gentleman  who  has  taught  his  own 
youngsters,  says,  "  the  boy  who  takes  his  first  lessons  on  a 
cart  horse,  or  a  donkey,  will  spoil  his  bridle  hand,  and  rarely 
get  light  and  sensitive  with  it  afterwards."  In  this  I  fully 
concur.  He  adds,  "  "W^e  found  the  best  way  to  teach  the 
use  of  the  reins  was  from  a  gig,  or  some  one-horse  vehicle. 
We  fixed  the  pupil  securely  between  our  knees,  so  that 
either  he  or  she  should  have  no  need  to  attend  to  their  own 
security,  and  putting  a  rein  in  each  hand,  we  left  the  little 
one  to  steer,  and  on  a  very  fine  mouthed  horse,  to  see  the 
effect  of  his  right  or  wrong  movements.  After  a  good  many 
journeys  had  been  taken  in  this  manner,  the  child,  some- 
times driving  and  sometimes  watching  us,  was  generally  fit 
to  be  trusted  with  the  reins  on  horseback,  supposing  that  he 
had,  with  frequent  short  rides,  learned  to  feel  little  anxiety 
about  his  own  seat,  and  to  keep  his  arms  moderately  still." 
Here  again  I  am  with  the  writer. 


ic6  HORSEMANSHIP. 


Another  good  plan  is  to  place  a  child  anxious  to  ride,  as 
most  of  them  are,  on  the  pommel  of  the  saddle  in  front  of 
you  and  let  him  hold  the  reins.  The  horse  must  be  a  very 
quiet  animal  without  a  suspicion  of  a  shy  or  a  bolt  in  his 
composition.  A  steady,  thoroughly  dependable  groom  or 
coachman  may  be  trusted  to  do  the  same,  but  the  less 
children  are  about  the  stables  the  better,  where  they  are 
certain  to  be  in  the  way,  may  get  into  danger,  and  probably 
will  hear  bad  language.  The  governess  should  never  be 
permitted  to  interfere  with  the  riding  lessons,  for  the  chances 
are  a  hundred  to  one  against  her  knowing  anything  about 
horses  or  their  habits,  and  a  thousand  to  one  against  her 
being  a  qualified  instructor  in  the  art  of  equitation.  I  have 
already  stipulated  that  children's  ponies  should  be  perfectly 
broken  and  trained,  paddock,  that  is  grass,  fed,  and  that 
under  no  circumstances,  save  as  a  bribe,  should  they  ever 
taste  corn.  To  this  I  will  add  that  regular  exercise  is 
also  necessary.  Many  ponies,  and  horses  too,  when  kept  at 
regular  steady  work,  are  sober  and  steady,  which,  after  hours 
of  idleness  and  high  keep,  get  above  themselves  and  become 
unruly. 

As  a  general  practice  children  commence  learning  to  ride 
to  pilch-pads,  of  which  I  give  illustrations. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  one  for  the  girls  and  boys 
combined,  is  provided  with  only  one  head,  and  that  a  knee 
roll  takes  the  place  of  the  leaping  crutch.  The  head  screws 
into  its  socket,  and  can  be  transferred  to  the  off  side,  where 
there  is  a  corresponding  receptacle.  These  pads  should  be 
constructed,  as  much  as  possible,  on  the  straight  seat  prin- 
ciple ;  in  fact,  but  for  the  expense,  miniature  side-saddles 
should  be  used,  one  for  near  and  the  other  for  the  off-side 
seat.  Such  little  saddles  are  now  made  by  Messrs.  Champion 
and  Wilton,  perfect  in  shape,  and,  minimize,  if  not  abso- 


TEACHING   THE    YOUNG  IDEA. 


107 


lutely  do  away  with,  the  possibiUty  of  injury  to  the  spine. 
Pads  for  boys  give  the  pony  a  too  great  width  of  back,  they 
do  not  give  so  correct  and  firm  a  seat  as  the  cross  saddle, 
and  are  not  nearly  so  easy  to  sit 
on.     I  recommend  a  light  racing 
saddle,  without  knee  rolls,  made 
of  fast-dyed  drab  or  brown  buck- 
skin, as  more  clinging  than  pig- 
skin.    It  should  be  fitted  with  Ds 
in  front,  to  which  may  be  strapped 
a  neatly  rolled  blanket  about  three 
or  four  inches  in  diameter  coming 
down  to  the  child's  knees.  This  will 
give  confidence  and  prevent  falls. 

To  commence  with,  no  stirrups  should  be  allowed  to 
either  sex,  and  for  some  time  at  least  girls,  appropriately 
dressed,  should  ride  on 
the  cross  saddle  entirely. 
The  reader  is  referred 
to  my  remarks  on  this 
system  in  the  com- 
panion, volume  for 
ladies.  Some  children 
take  to  riding  like 
young  ducks  to  water. 
All,  more  or  less,  have 
an  aversion  to  lessons 
or  to  anything  in  the 
form  of  tuition.  Born 
with  a  full  wide  stream 
of  original  sin  pulsing  in  their  veins  their  desire  to  do 
those  things  which  they  ought  not  to  do,  and  not  to 
do  those  things  which   they  ought  to  do  is  very  strong. 


loS  HORSEMANSHIP. 


One  man  can  lead  a  horse  to  the  well,  but  twenty  cannot 
make  him  drink.  Those  children  whose  bias  does  not  lie 
in  the  direction  of  ponies — mighty  few  by  the  way— should 
be  encouraged  to  learn  not  as  a  task  "the  daily  round," 
but  as  a  pastime.  The  ride  on  the  paddock-pet  should 
be  considered  the  treat,  the  blue  riband  of  the  day's  amuse- 
ment, something  to  be  looked  forward  to,  and  to  be  with- 
held only  as  a  punishment.  Our  role  is  to  convey  the 
lesson  so  that  it  be  no  more  irksome  than  practice  at  lawn- 
tennis  j  that  it  is  playing  at  riding  and  not  studying  it. 
All  little  ones  live  in  a  sort  of  dreamland  in  which  they 
picture  to  themselves  what  they  will  do  when  grown  up. 
The  boy  has  his  hero,  the  girl  her  heroine,  and,  as  often  as 
not,  the  sexes  are  reversed.  We  must, ''unbeknowed"  to 
them,  educate  them  up  to  their  riding  standard  of  perfection. 
The  spirit  of  emulation  takes  the  boy  right  up  to  the 
cannon's  mouth,  and  the  same  power  converts  the  delicately 
nurtured  girl  into  a  Grace  Darling.  We  may  have  to  give 
confidence  and  courage  where  nervousness  and  timidity 
reign,  to  implant  a  feeling  of  safety  and  contempt  for  a  fall, 
and  to  create  a  zest  for  what  appeared  a  bore. 

Children  should  never  be  allowed  to  tire  themselves  in 
the  saddle,  and  when  the  colour  quits  the  girl's  cheek, 
especially  if  she  be  delicate  and  growing,  that  must  be  at 
once  taken  as  a  sign  that  her  energies  are  being  exhausted 
— she  must  dismount.  It  is  impossible  to  lay  down  any 
hard  and  fast  nile  as  to  the  age  at  which  children  may 
commence  learning  to  ride,  so  much  depending  on  the 
individual  strength.  The  preparatory  essays  may,  as  I 
have  said,  date  from  earliest  childhood — from  the  ride-a- 
cock-horse period — and  boys,  if  strong,  will  take  no  harm 
at  any  age,  but  the  girls'  teaching  had  better  be  deferred 
till  the  sixth  or  seventh  year.    Many  of  them,  however,  from 


TEACHING   THE    YOUNG  IDEA.  lo; 

natural  bent  take  the  lead  in  all  romps  and  pastimes,  and 
bare-backed,  astride,  or  in  any  fashion  that  seems  to  them 
best,  outvie  their  brothers. 

At  first,  the  boys  and  girls  should  be  put  up,  but  soon  will 
learn  to  mount  themselves,  and  for  this  purpose  the  pony 
is  trained  to  stand  in  the  ditch,  by  the  side  of  a  low  wall, 
a  sufficiently  high  step,  a  bank,  or  anything  that  will  furnish 
the  necessary  elevation.  They  should  be  encouraged  to 
practise  mounting,  as  well  as  riding  barebacked.  After  a 
bit,  as  the  boys  grow,  they  will  learn  when  the  pony  is  at  a 
trot,  to  lay  hold  of  the  mane  wdth  both  hands,  and  from 
either  side,  to  vault  on  his  back  or  clean  over  him.  Nothing 
is  easier  so  long  as  he  be  under  weigh.  Note  the  riders 
in  the  circus,  they  always  swing  themselves  on  to  the  back 
or  saddle  when  the  horse  is  in  motion. 

When  children  are  kind  to  their  ponies  it  is  marvellous 
how  close  the  bond  of  union  between  them  and  their  four- 
footed  friend  becomes.  The  Arab  mares  and  their  foals  let 
the  young  Bedaween  take  all  sorts  of  liberties  with  them. 
I  have  seen  a  little  riding  lad  in  a  racing  stable  seek  pro- 
tection under  his  mare's  legs — a  by  no  means  placid-tempered 
animal — from  the  bullying  treatment  of  the  other  urchins. 
Sir  Francis  Head  in  his  "  Horse  and  his  Rider,"  mentions  a 
visit  to  the  farmyard  of  a  Mr.  Roff,  on  the  Brighton  Road, 
near  Croydon,  where  to  his  surprise  he  observed  a  lot  of 
children  playing  with  a  yearhng  colt,  which  allowed  them  to 
crawl  between  ;his  legs  and  fondle  him  in  various  ways,  just 
as  if  he  was  a  dog.  On  riding  into  the  yard  to  inquire  by 
what  magical  means  the  little  quadruped  had  been  made  so 
gentle  and  tame,  he  was  informed  by  the  worthy  old  farmer 
who  owned  the  colt  that  his  wife,  kind  to  all  her  beasts,  had 
for  many  years  been  yearning  to  add  to  them  a  pet  colt ; 
that  accordingly  he  had  bought  her  one,  and  that  she  had 


1 1  o  HORSE  MA  XSHIR 


tamed  it.  With  uxorious  pride  he  added  "  she  could  tame 
anything."  Though  disapproving  of  children  being  about 
the  stable,  there  can  be  no  harm  in  their  visiting  their  pet 
in  his  paddock,  hovel,  or  loose  box,  taking  with  them  some 
little  treat,  and  spending  an  hour  or  so  with  him. 

Children  are  by  no  means  light-handed,  and  are  much 
given  to  ride  in  the  pony  s  mouth — that  is,  hold  on  by  the 
bridle.  The  rubber-coated  flexible  snaffle  bit  will  give  them 
all  the  command  they  need  over  a  well-trained  pouy,  and  will, 
at  the  same  time,  save  his  mouth.  The  rein,  a  single  one, 
should  be  narrow,  soft  and  pliant  as  kid,  and  held  in  both 
hands.  At  first,  perhaps,  the  better  plan  is  to  give  no  reins 
at  all,  but  let  the  Httle  rider  preserve  the  balance  by  holding 
on  to  the  roll  in  front  of  the  saddle. 

During  the  first  few  lessons  the  pony  must  be  led  by  a 
light  long  rein  buckled  to  the  off  ring  of  the  bit  and  passing 
under  the  chin  through  the  other  ring  to  the  instructor  on 
the  near  side.  For  a  day  or  two  he  had  better  keep  close 
to  his  little  pupil  and  confine  the  pace  to  a  walk,  giving  only 
a  very  little  instruction.  An  apt  child  with  some  nerve  will 
soon  shake  down  into  the  saddle,  may  be  led  about  at  full 
extent  of  the  eight  foot  rein,  and  from  a  walk  may  be  coaxed 
into  trying,  for  a  few  paces  only,  a  slow  jog-trot.  These 
rudimentary  lessons  are  best  given  in  the  paddock  and  out 
of  sight  of  mamma,  should  that  lady  not  be  a  horsewoman. 
If  present,  her  over  anxiety  will  only  distract  the  child  and 
implant  fear  where  no  fear  is. 

From  being  led  on  foot,  as  progress  is  made,  the  next 
step  in  advance  is  to  mount  a  good  steady  reliable  horse, 
and  to  lead  from  the  saddle.  The  child  may  now  for  the 
first  time — the  use  of  the  reins  as  already  explained  having 
been  carefully  taught — have  the  bridle  put  in  its  hands. 
Keeping  the  pony  on  his  right  hand  and  at  a  good  distance. 


TEACHING    THE    YOUNG  IDEA.  Iir 

though  level  with  his  horse — if  too  close,  a  sudden  start 
might  unseat  the  child,  and  throw  him  among  the  horse's 
feet — the  pupil,  led  at  a  walk,  must  now  be  taught  to  keep 
his  hands  steady,  and  to  put  his  earlier  teaching  into 
practice.  Confine  the  first  lessons  to  careful  instruction  in 
handling  the  reins,  how  to  incline  and  turn  to  the  right  or 
left,  to  circle,  to  turn  about  and  to  stop. 

When  the  pupil  is  fairly  proficient  at  the  walk  then  try  a 
jog-trot  for  a  few  paces.  The  instructor's  careful  attention 
must  be  directed  to  the  endeavour  to  get  him  to  preserve 
the  seat  rather  by  balance  than  by  grip,  to  abandon  the  hold 
on  the  roll  in  front  of  the  saddle  and  thus  to  have  the  hands 
free  to  guide  the  pony.  At  first  he  need  not  bother  himself 
or  his  pupil  about  sitting  up,  keeping  the  elbows  in,  and 
so  forth ;  all  that  will  come  in  good  time  when  the  rough 
motion  is  got  over,  the  little  muscles  have  begun  to  adapt 
themselves  to  the  up-and-down  action  which  at  first  shakes 
loose  and  displaces  every  effort  at  grip,  and  the  tender  skin 
gets  hardened.  The  child  cannot  learn  everything  at  once, 
there  is  no  need  for  cramming,  fesiina  lenie  best  does  it. 

When  a  sufiiciently  firm  seat  has  been  obtained,  quite 
independent  of  the  reins,  the  pupil  begins  to  acquire  con- 
fidence, and  can  guide  and  control  the  pony,  putting  it  from 
the  walk  into  the  trot,  and  keeping  up  the  trot  for  half  a 
mile  or  so  without  slipping,  like  a  pair  of  compasses,  first  to 
the  right  side  of  the  saddle  and  then  to  the  left,  half  the 
battle  is  won.  The  child's  enjoyment  of  the  ride  is  the 
surest  index  of  progress.  The  undulating  motion  of  the 
canter  will  be  appreciated  as  a  relaxation  after  the  jolt  of 
the  trot.  Day  by  day  the  leading  rein  will  be  brought  less 
into  use,  till  at  length  the  youthful  rider  is  permitted  to  try 
its  "prentice  hand"  free  from  the  leading  strings,  first  of 
all  in  some  quiet  paddock  or  field,  and  then  in  company 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


with  its  instructor  on  the  high  road,  or  in  the  park  when 
nearly  empty. 

So  far  the  child-rider  has  not  experienced  the  luxury  and 
support  of  a  stirrup.  As  part  of  the  pony's  education  ought 
to  be  to  stand  stock  still  the  moment  the  rider  is  unseated, 
there  is  not  much  fear  of  a  child  being  dragged.  Still,  as 
prevention  is  better  than  cure,  all  saddles  should  be  fitted 
with  the  safety  stirrup  bar  made  by  Messrs.  Champion  and 
Wilton.  When  these  patent-safety  arrangements  are  not  used 
I  prefer  the  boy's-clog-slipper  to  the  open  stirrup.  The  girl's 
length  of  leather  should,  as  explained  in  the  volume  on 
ladies'  riding,  be  such  as  to  bring  the  left  knee  up  against 
the  lower  and  padded  face  of  the  hunting  head;  a  boy 
should  ride  with  a  somewhat  short  stirrup  or  clog,  and  with 
a  bent  leg,  otherwise  he  will  find  himself  riding  on  the 
"fork,"  standing  astride  over  rather  than  sitting  down  in  the 
saddle ;  he  will,  with  long  stirrups,  not  be  sufficiently  seated, 
will  be  too  forward  in  the  saddle,  and  so  be  liable  to  lose 
his  clog.  No  doubt  the  foothold  of  the  stirrup  is  much 
firmer  than  that  of  the  clog. 

With  boys  and  lads  I  do  not  counsel  any  coddling.  The 
English  boy — and  in  the  term  I  include  Scotch  and  Irish — 
as  a  rule  is  a  young  dare-devil  requiring  curbing.  We  have 
the  testimony  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington  as  to  the  gay  light- 
hearted  manner  in  which  our  British  boys,  fresh  from  the 
playing  fields,  marched  on  that  June  evening  some  seventy- 
six  years  ago,  to  tackle  the  war-worn  Old  Guard  of  France, 
and  how  the  gallant  young  fellows  bore  themselves  through- 
out that  long  and  bloody  day.  When  our  boys  are  twelve  or 
fourteen  years  old,  they,  if  brok&n  early  to  the  saddle,  are  fit 
to  ride  anything,  and  the  more  of  all  sorts  they  practise  on 
the  better.  Plucky  youngsters  of  this  fibre,  those  who  with 
years  will  develop  what  Carlyle  termed  ''  the  silent  ivccy  and 


TEACHING   THE    YOVXG  IDEA.  \\% 

aristocratic  self-possession  "  of  their  race,  will  go  anywhere 
and  do  anything.  What  we  have  to  do  is  to  teach  them  how 
to  play  the  game  like  gentlemen  and  not  like  butcher-boys. 

Lads  such  as  these  are  frequently  puzzled  as  to  the  style 
of  seat  they  should  assume  on  horseback.  If  they  take 
upon  themselves  the  studied  manege  teaching,  they  are 
alarmed  at  being  chaffed  for  aping  the  military  school — a 
no  very  bad  school  as  I  have  endeavoured  to  show.  If 
they  shorten  their  stirrups,  double  themselves  up  "all-of-a 
heap,"  and  turn  their  toes  out,  they  are  often  charged,  and 
rightly  so,  with  riding  like  tailors.  When  I  see  a  lad  with  his 
shoulders  up  to  his  ears,  elbows  stuck  out,  leaning  over  the 
pommel  of  the  saddle  as  if  he  wanted  to  go  a  bit  faster  than 
the  horse,  his  heels  in,  one  rein  held  tighter  than  the  other, 
handling  his  horse's  mouth  roughly,  and  urging  him  beyond 
the  true  verge  of  his  pace,  I  dub  that  lad  a  butcher-boy. 

The  great  difficulty  is  to  ride  like  a  true  sportsman,  avoid- 
ing any  outre  characteristic.  It  is  utterly  impossible  to 
adhere  to  any  strict  rule  as  to  the  correct  seat  for  general 
horsemanship.  The  seat  must  be  varied  in  accordance  with 
the  circumstances  in  which  the  rider  is  placed,  but  under  all 
conditions,  it  can  be  graceful  and  easy.  The  perfect  horse- 
man can  appropriate  to  himself  every  style  of  seat.  The 
only  man  I  ever  saw  who  could  ride  well  over  a  big  country 
with  the  then  prevailing  military  seat — long  stirrups  and 
sitting  on  the  "  fork  " — was  the  late  Earl  of  Cardigan.  At  the 
head  of  the  nth  Hussars  the  leader  of  ''  The  Six  Hundred  " 
was  perfect  in  the  saddle,  as  military  riding  was  then  under- 
stood, but  his  lordship's  seat  with  the  Quorn  was  strangely 
out  of  place.  The  same  seat  cannot  be  preserved  on  any 
and  every  horse.  All  affectation  of  a  peculiar  style  of  riding 
on  ordinary  occasions  is  to  be  eschewed ;  it  is  bad  form. 

I  have  seen  a  man  steal  down  Rotten  Row  slightly  raised 

I 


14  HORSEMANSHIP. 


ill  his  stirrups,  his  body  bent  gracefully  over  the  pommel, 
his  hands  well  down,  the  points  of  his  elbows  near  the 
centre  of  his  body,  his  head  just  a  trifle  inclined  to  the  near 
side.  He  is  steady  in  his  saddle  as  if  nailed  to  the  flaps, 
is  merely  lightly  feeling  and  steadying  his  horse,  and  his  legs 
dropped  neatly  down  his  sides  into  rather  short  stirrups  are 
motionless.  The  animal  he  is  on  is  going  well  within  himself, 
smoothly,  and  with  an  even  striding  movement,  devoid  of 
all  impetuosity ;  his  head  is  in  its  proper  place,  with  hand- 
somely bent  neck.  At  a  mere  indication  from  the  bridle 
he  at  once  drops  into  a  trot  and  so  into  a  walk,  cool,  and 
collected.  The  horse  and  man  are  on  excellent  terms,  but 
the  exhibition,  perfect  of  its  kind,  is  out  of  place  in  the 
Park,  though  just  what  one  would  expect  from  a  crack 
gentleman-rider  at  Sandown  or  Aintree. 

On  another  occasion  we  see  the  same  horseman  in  a  very 
different  attitude,  one  neither  neat  nor  graceful.  He  is  on 
a  resolute,  lurching,  leather-mouthed  brute,  carrying  his  head 
low,  and  "fighting  for  his  head."  The  evil  eye  and  the 
position  of  the  ears,  together  with  the  frequent  reaching 
forward  and  downward  of  the  head,  shows  that  this  time 
the  rider  has  "  a  handful "  to  deal  with.  He  must  give  and 
take  with  such  a  puller,  or  be  hauled  out  of  the  saddle  on 
to  the  withers.  He  is  sitting  upright  in  his  saddle,  and  his 
arms  pulled  out  nearly  straight ;  the  feet  thrust  well  home 
in  the  stirrups  are,  in  order  to  obtain  a  strong  purchase, 
placed  in  front  of  the  girths  as  far  forward  as  the  horse's 
elbow,  and  he  is  on  the  alert  to  yield  the  body  forward  to 
give  to  those  impatient  snatchings  at  the  bit  and  borings  of 
the  head  between  the  forelegs.  To  pull  up  such  a  brute  he 
has  to  throw  himself  back  in  the  saddle  till  the  whole  body 
from  foot  to  head  is  in  an  inclined  plane,  and  as  straight  as 
animated  clay  can  be. 


TEACHING   THE    YOUNG  IDEA.  115 

Yet  another  time,  and  we  watch  this  gentleman  mastering 
a  hot,  fly-away  "  star-gazer,"  and  note  how  he  accommodates 
himself  to  the  altered  circumstances.  The  impetuous  and 
excitable  animal  comes  along,  his  nose  in  the  air  and  head 
flung  from  side  to  side,  impatient  of  control  of  bit  and 
martingale.  His  ears  are  in  constant  motion,  turning  to 
every  point  of  the  compass,  as  if  expecting  the  spring  of 
some  evil  beast ;  he  fights  at  the  bit  and  climbs  in  his  fore 
action,  and  comes  yawing  along  in  anything  but  a  straight 
line,  bounding  from  side  to  side.  Our  friend  is  now  seated 
well  down,  and  far  back  on  his  saddle,  the  body  with  a  back- 
ward inclination,  the  reins  are  held  wide  apart,  his  elbows 
are  at  his  sides,  and  his  feet  further  forward  than  in  what 
may  be  termed  the  elegant  position. 

Finally,  we  have  an  exhibition  of  how  to  handle  a  lurching 
sluggish  goer,  and  how  to  adjust  the  seat  to  his  lazy  habit  of 
going.  He  comes  up  the  ride,  hugging  the  rails,  his  ears 
laid  well  back  along  his  poll  and  his  tail  switching.  He  has 
no  vice  save  that  of  laziness.  His  rider  has  to  galvanize 
some  life  and  "  go "  into  him,  so  sits  down  in  the  saddle, 
keeps  his  heels  back  so  as  to  have  the  spurs  ready  and  handy 
to  administer  an  "  awakener,"  and  is  shaking  him  up  and 
lifting  him  at  each  stride. 

From  this  it  will  be  seen  how  necessary  it  is  that  he  who 
aims  at  perfection  should  ride  every  variety  of  horse.  Of 
the  four  seats  depicted  above,  that  first  sketched,  with  the 
stirrup  leathers  lengthened  a  hole  or  two,  will  answer  all 
purposes  in  the  hunting  field  or  in  any  other  field  when 
galloping  over  turf  is  the  order  of  the  day.  It  is  affectation 
and  folly  for  a  man  to  pose  as  being  what  he  is  not.  When 
any  of  our  flat  race  or  steeplechase  cracks  don  silk,  they 
ride  like  jockeys,  but,  on  the  road  or  in  the  park,  they  drop 
everything  that  smacks  of  the  racecourse.     Men  of  the  first 


:l6  HORSEMAXSHIP. 


flight  across  the  big  pastures  of  the  Shires,  when  they  change 
their  hunters  for  the  blood  hack,  and  discard  leathers  and 
top-boots  for  trousers  and  "Wellingtons,  let  down  their 
stirrups  and  adopt  a  medium  seat  adapted  to  road  riding. 

With  so  many  blood  galloways  about,  there  is  no  excuse 
for  a  boy  of  riding  proclivities  not  making  himself  thoroughly 
efficient  in  the  saddle.  Under  his  light  weight  these  beauti- 
ful and  clever  animals  can  go  anywhere  and  do  almost  any- 
thing. If  his  friends  are  prepared  to  pay  the  piper  he  can 
be  mounted  to  perfection,  for,  irrespective  of  these  multiim 
in  parvo  pieces  of  equine  perfection,  he  has  many  a  clever 
thoroughbred  at  his  disposal.  Many  a  disappointing  selling- 
plater  is  to  be  picked  up  for  an  old  song  which  would  carry 
him  on  the  road  or  in  the  park  to  perfection,  and  make  light 
of  his  burden  in  the  fastest  and  longest  run  of  the  season. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

VICE. 

Rearing. 

Rough  handling  of  the  bit  rein  in  the  case  of  a  high- 
tempered  horse  is  often  an  incentive  to  rearing.  Some  rear 
from  excitement,  impatience,  or  in  play.  Slight  rearing, 
except  on  smooth  flag-stones,  though  decidedly  disagreeable, 
is  not  dangerous;  but  confirmed  high  "getting  up,"  the 
protest  of  a  stubborn  horse,  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  of 
equine  vices.  There  are  violent  modes  of  frightening  young 
horses  out  of  the  habit,  but  with  old  confirmed  offenders  a 
radical  cure  is  very  problematical.  A  well  directed  stunning 
blow  on  the  ear  brings  some  to  their  senses,  but  the  danger 


VICE. 


117 


of  this  violent  measure  is  that  an  ill-directed  one  may  land 
between  the  ears  and  produce  poll-evil.  In  my  younger 
days  I  cured  one  vicious  brute  addicted  to  this  vice  by 
breaking  a  soda-water  bottle,  in  a  leathern  envelope,  over 


GETTING    UP, 


.^  in  the  air,  and,  in 

Such   drastic   measures 


so  doing,  came 


require  a 


his  head  when  pawni 
near  blinding  myself, 
determined,  reckless  rider. 

Horses  addicted  to  rearing  generally  do  it  when  forced  to 
go  in  any  direction  contrary  to  their  wishes,  or  on  being  pre- 
vented going  where  they  do  wish.    The  first  act  on  the  part  of 


ii8  HORSEMANSHIP. 


the  offender  is  a  dead  stop,  followed  by  backing,  with,  perhaps, 
a  vicious  kick  or  two.  Then  he  raises  his  forehand  a  foot 
or  two  off  the  ground,  balancing  himself  on  his  haunches. 
Directly  he  rises,  you  should  lay  hold  of  the  mane  with  the 
left  hand,  lean  the  body  well  forward  towards  the  neck,  and 
give  him  all  his  head,  carefully  refraining  from  bearing  on 
the  mouth.  As  he  descends,  if  the  display  indicates  temper, 
just  before  his  feet  touch  the  ground,  rip  the  spurs  well  into 
him,  at  the  same  time  administering  one  !  two  !  three  !  from 
a  severe  cutting-whip  under  the  flank.  To  this  smart,  quick, 
and  decisive  punishment  he  will  probably  plunge  forward, 
or  may  resort  to  plunging  with  kicking,  so  see  that  before 
he  is  quite  do\^Ti  you  are  firm  in  the  saddle.  If  his  temper 
be  thoroughly  roused  he,  more  likely,  will  rear  straight  up 
on  end  and  walk  about  on  his  hind  legs,  like  a  performing 
bear,  playing  the  castanets  with  his  fore  feet.  This  is 
dangerous  work  for  both  man  and  horse.  He  must  on  no 
account  be  touched  by  whip,  spur,  or  bit  while  up,  or,  the 
chances  are,  he  will  fall  back  on  the  top  of  you  to  your 
injury  and  that  of  the  saddle  ;  he  may  also  break,  or  at 
least  rick,  his  own  back.  Punish  him  as  much  and  as 
severely  as  you  please  as  he  lowers  his  forehand,  for  he 
cannot  rise  again  till  his  fore  feet  again  reach  the  ground ; 
but  sit  still,  leaning  all  your  weight  forward,  till  the  descent 
commences.  When  sensible  that  he  is  about  to  topple 
over  backwards  or  sideways,  take  your  feet  out  of  the 
stirrups  and  throw  yourself  clear  of  him.  A  moderately 
active  man,  with  his  senses  about  him.  ought  to  land  on 
his  feet. 

Fortunately,  an  extreme  rearer  seldom  kicks.  Should  the 
brute  roll  over,  if  you  are  on  your  legs,  give  him  a  good 
trouncing  before  he  can  rise.  In  the  case  of  a  slight  rear, 
I  have  known  the  slipping  of  the  right  hand  along  the  bit 


VICE. 


119 


rein  till  it  nears  the  mouth,  followed  by  a  strong  downward 
bearing  to  the  right,  by  throwing  the  horse  off  his  balance, 
nip  the  vagary  in  the  bud.  The  running  martingale  does 
some  good,  and  there  is  a  rearing  bit,  of  which,  however, 
I  have  no  great  opinion.  McKenny's  saddle-attachment 
is,   in  most  cases,  most  effective,  in  that   it   prevents  ^the 


THE  SADDLE  ATTACHMENT. 

horse  from  getting  his  head  into  the  position  necessary  to 
a  straight-up-on-end  rear.  Its  action  is  explained  in  the 
illustration,  in  which  the  attempt  to  get  up  is  frustrated  at 
the  outset. 

Should  rearing  in  a  modified  form  be  merely  the  playful 
letting  off  of  a  little  too  high  spirits  or  impatience,  do  not  in 
any  way  punish  the  horse  ;  ride  him  in  a  McKenny  attach- 


130  HORSEMAXSHIP. 


ment,  let  it  act  when  he  does  attempt  to  rear,  and  stroke 
him  down,  gentle  him,  and  talk  kindly  to  him  when  he  leaves 
off  his  nonsense  and  does  as  you  want. 

Upon  the  horse's  coming  to  the  ground  the  rider  must  be 
careful  not  to  take  hold  of  his  head  too  suddenly,  and,  if  riding 
with  a  double  bridle,  on  no  account  to  touch  the  bit  rein, 
for  this,  assuredly,  will  send  him  up  in  the  air  again.  If 
the  horse  spars  with  his  fore  legs,  there  is  Uttle  danger  of 
his  falling  backwards,  but  when  he  rears  with  them,  and  his 
feet  bent  under  him,  after  the  fashion  of  a  dog  standing  up 
to  beg,  danger  is  to  be  apprehended.  Professor  Galvayne's 
No.  2  twitch  has  been  successfully  and  publicly  tried,  on 
various  occasions,  notably  at  Durham,  on  an  inveterate 
rearer  and  plunger,  "  Cicily,"'  by  Ruperra. 

A  horse  that  is  given  to  rearing,  even  in  its  mildest  form, 
is  no  ''  mount "  for  a  lady ;  and  if  the  habit  cannot  be 
eradicated  by  the  Galvayning  system — a  system  to  which  all 
good-looking,  inveterate  vicious  horses  should  be  subjected 
— then  ''get  rid  of  him.'' 

Kicking. 

On  a  horse  suddenly  taking  to  kicking,  first  ascertain 
that  he  is  not  bothered  by  a  fly,  and  see  that  the  saddle 
does  not  pinch  or  hurt  him,  as  badly-stuffed  ones  are  apt  to 
do.  A  hard,  unyielding  stuffing  will  dispose  the  most  gentle 
animals  to  kick,  and  always  aggravates  the  vice  in  those 
viciously  disposed  to  lash  out.  There  is  very  little  danger 
to  the  rider  in  this  disagreeable  habit ;  but,  in  a  crowded 
ride,  such  as  Rotten  Row,  or  in  the  hunting-field,  when  a  mob 
of  mounted  folk  are  crowding  through  the  same  gateway, 
or  "  skirting  "  down  the  same  lane,  the  peril  to  other  riders 
and  their  quadrupeds  is  considerable. 

When  a  horse  stands  still,  lavs  his  ears  back,  shows  the 


VICE, 


121 


whites  of  his  eyes,  tries  to  get  his  head  down  and  his  back 
up,  hugs  his  tail,  and  begins  wriggling  his  hind  quarters, 
then,  if  a  sharp  peremptory  ''what  are-ye-at-eh ? "  and  a 
sharp  catch  at  the  bridoon  fail  to  exorcise  the  evil  spirit,  be 
prepared  for  a  kicking  bout. 

Some  horses  are   very  cunning;   they   cannot   lash   out 
in  full  vigour  so  long  as  the  head  be  kept  well  up,  so,  in 


order  to  get  it  into  the  most  effective  kicking  position, 
the  object  in  view  being  to  get  rid  of  the  rider,  to  dislodge 
him,  they  not  only  kick  violently  in  order  to  loosen  his  grip 
and  hoist  him  out  of  the  saddle,  but,  having  gained  this 
initial  advantage  over  him,  continue  to  lash  out  as  they  go, 
eventually  parting  company  with  their  burden.  Once  the 
rider  is  out  on  the  pommel  his  control  over  the  reins  ceases, 
down  goes  the  head,  and  each  succeeding  lift  accentuates 


22  HORSEMANSHIP. 


his  descent,  making  the  dissolution  of  partnership  a  certainty. 
A  kicker  such  as  this  —  a  refractory,  resolute  and  deter- 
mined animal,  with  confidence  in  his  abiUty  to  get  rid  of 
his  load — will  lash  out  furiously  and  soon  tire  himself.  The 
rider  must  sit  firm  and  sit  fast,  keeping  the  heels  or  spurs 
away  from  his  sides,  and  rate  him  soundly  in  a  loud  voice. 
Horses  are  very  knowing  in  finding  out,  whether  their  master 
is  on  their  back  or  not,  if  he  be  nervous  or  "full  of  fight." 
The  contest  must  be  one  as  when  Greek  meets  Greek.  Get 
his  head  up  at  once,  by  mere  strength  of  arm  or  by  a  sudden 
and  severe  snatch  at  the  bridle,  and  punish  his  mouth  till 
he  ceases  his  antics ;  do  not  use  the  spurs,  they  do  more  harm 
than  good,  but  let  him  feel  the  whip  severely  over  his  ears 
and  neck.  He  will  fight  hard  for  his  head,  determined,  if 
possible,  to  get  it  down  ;  but  it  must  be  kept  to  a  point  of 
elevation  at  which  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  kick  with  both 
heels  at  once.  Draw  the  bridoon  through  his  mouth — in 
the  case  of  an  animal  of  this  sort  it  should  have  a  sharp 
twist  on  it — and  back  him.  If  a  big  field,  ploughed  for 
choice,  be  handy,  turn  him  into  it,  urge  him  into  a  gallop, 
and  let  him  have  his  kick  out.  By  hauling  his  head  in 
(here  the  McKenny  attachment  again  comes  in  very  handy), 
placing  your  hands  with  a  firm  clench  on  the  bridoon  rein 
on  the  withers,  and  getting  up  in  your  sthrups,  jockey 
fashion,  your  seat  being  clear  of  the  saddle,  you  may  let 
him  kick  himself  straight  almost  without  your  feeling 
the  jar.  When  he  is  thoroughly  tired,  take  him  back  to 
the  place  where  the  exhibition  of  temper  commenced,  and 
force  him,  by  fair  means  or  foul,  to  pass  the  spot ;  let  him 
thoroughly  understand  that  he  has  met  his  master.  Though 
a  horse  is  rarely  cured  of  the  propensity  to  kick,  this  one 
will  understand  that  with  that  particular  rider  on  his  back 
the  game  is  not  worth  the  candle,  and  so  will  not  tiy  the 


VICE. 


12' 


trick  on  with  him  again.  I  never  yet  met  with  the  horse 
whose  head  I  could  not  get  up  with  a  twisted  snaffle.  We 
all  think  highest  of  our  own  bantlings,  and  so,  perhaps,  I 
may  be  pardoned  for  recommending  Kerr's  model  bit,  with 
a  twist  on  the  mouthpiece  as  being,  in  the  opinion  of  the 
inventor,  well  adapted  for  getting  a  determined  kicker's  head 


WELL   STOPPED  I 

up.  For  such  unruly  brutes  I  attach  smaller  rings  to  the 
butt  of  the  mouthpiece  inside  the  large  rings  to  which  the 
bridle  and  reins  are  stitched.  Through  these  smaller  rings 
passes  a  long  rein  which  acts  as  a  nose-band,  crosses  under 
the  chin,  and  so  reaches  the  rider's  hands,  converting  the 
snaffle  into  a  kind  of  gag-bit. 

If  a   horse   takes   to   kicking   standing,  and    refuses  to 


124  HORSEMANSHIP. 


advance,  a  good  plan  is  to  apply  the  whip  smartly  down  the 
shoulders,  at  the  same  time  twisting  or  turning  him  round 
on  his  own  ground  till  he  is  dizzy. 

Sticking-up,  or  Reesting. 

Sticking-up  under  the  saddle  is  what  jibbing  is  in  harness, 
and  has  been  described  as  the  result  of  too  much  faith  in 
his  own  and  too  little  in  his  rider's  powers  as  against  want 
of  confidence,  in  the  case  of  jibbing,  in  his  own  power.  In 
the  Introduction,  we  have  seen  how  the  patient  but  deter- 
mined Tyke  encountered  and  conquered  on  the  ''  everything 
comes  to  him  who  waits  "  tactics. 

Horses  given  to  this  habit  of  "  reesting,"  as  it  is  termed 
north  of  the  Tweed,  which  means  that  they  are  self-willed, 
insisting  upon  going  just  where  it  pleases  them,  and  nowhere 
else,  are  difficult  to  deal  with.  Each  has  his  own  peculiar 
fad  :  one  positively  declines  to  go  away  from  home,  another 
insists  on  pulling  up  at  a  certain  point,  and  beyond  that 
stubbornly  refuses  to  budge  ;  a  third  insists  upon  going  up 
some  road,  or  taking  some  turn  in  the  reverse  direction  to 
that  which  his  rider  wills  ;  a  fourth  has  a  disagreeable  trick, 
no  matter  who  may  be  in  the  saddle,  of  depositing  the 
equestrian  on  his  back  in  the  middle  of  the  road  at  a  certain 
favourite  point.  Unfortunately  this  determined  "sticker- 
up"  is  given  to  rearing,  plunging,  kicking,  and  mayhap  is 
handy  with  his  teeth. 

With  such  an  awkward  customer  a  long  and  careful  course 
of  instruction  in  backing  is  necessary.  The  movement  is  an 
unnatural  one — some  take  to  it  kindly,  others  are  most  un- 
willing to  "  rein  back  "  a  single  step.  The  lessons  can  best 
be  taught  at  home.  If  he  is  badly  broken,  and  does  not 
answer  to  the  bridle  and  the  voice,  his  "  backing  "  instruction 


VICE.   ■  125 

should  be  on  the  Galvayne  method,  a  system  only  known 
to  the  professor  and  his  pupils,  and  which  I,  for  palpable 
reasons,  may  not  here  disclose.  Go  to  Neasden,  pay  your 
two  guineas,  or  whatever  the  fee  may  now  be,  and  learn  that 
in  dealing  with  awkward  horses  all  that  is  required  is  a  little 
common  sense  and  the  knowledge  of  how  to  apply  it. 

When  properly  broken,  as  he  will  be  under  this  system  in 
a  veiy  short  space  of  time,  ride  him  to  one  of  his  favourite 
rcesting  haunts,  and,  on  his  making  the  slightest  attempt  at 
any  of  his  vagaries,  at  once  apply  the  reversing  gear,  back 
him  and  spin  him  round  till  he  reels  under  you,  then,  before 
he  has  time  to  recover  himself  completely  from  his  vertigo, 
back  him  over  the  same  ground,  past  the  point  of  contention, 
and  the  chances  are  that  he  will  for  that  once,  at  least,  forego 
his  desire  to  "stick  up,"'  and  will  do  as  he  is  bid.  Even 
without  backing,  though  that  is  the  trump  card  to  play  with 
such  an  awkward  hand,  progress  in  the  desired  direction 
may  be  made  by  spinning  him,  by  means  of  a  horizontal 
pull,  in  the  direction  he  wants,  carrying  his  head,  when  you 
mean  him  to  proceed,  beyond  the  point  he  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  go.  The  spinning  must  be  continued  till  he  is 
thoroughly  confused  and  quite  thrown  out  of  his  calculations. 
When  he  has  had  a  full  dose  of  circling,  all  thought  of  re- 
sistance will  have  vanished. 

Should  the  rider  lack  confidence  in  himself  to  do  battle 
with  and  subdue  an  obdurate,  inflexible  brute  —  one 
endowed  with  an  extra  load  of  *'  cussedness" — he  may  put 
the  following  bewildering  lesson  into  practice.  Previous  to 
starting  on  his  ride,  having  provided  himself  with  eight  or 
nine  feet  of  stout,  strong,  and  dependable  cord,  made  of 
four  or  five  strands  of  the  best  whip-cord,  and  some  well- 
tarred  spun-yarn  or  waxed  string,  he,  on  the  first  symptom 
of  the  coming  sticking-up  performance,  should   dismount, 


1 26  HORSE  MA  iVSHIP. 


and  cross  the  stirrups  over  in  front  of  the  saddle.  He  will 
then,  in  the  quietest  manner  possible,  proceed  to  teach  the 
rebel  that  man's  dominion  is  a  power  not  to  be  trifled  with. 
Fasten  the  cord  to  the  off  cheek  ring  of  the  snaffle,  and  pass 
it  under  the  chin  through  the  near  ring.  Take  up  the  hair 
of  the  tail,  if  there  be  enough  of  it,  and  tie  it  in  a  double, 
two-turn  knot,  making  all  secure  from  slipping  by  serving  it 
with  the  spun-yarn  or  waxed  twine.  Be  very  careful  that 
the  knot  cannot  come  undone.  If  the  hair  be  too  short, 
then  wind  the  yarn  tightly  round  it,  close  to  the  dock,  turn- 
ing up  the  ends  into  the  roll.  Bring  the  end  of  the  cord 
back  from  the  bridoon,  divide  the  hair  into  two  equal  parts, 
pass  the  cord  through  the  division  and,  with  a  slip  knot, 
make  the  head  fast  to  the  tail.  The  horse's  head  should  be 
drawn  so  that  it  faces  to  the  rear.  He  will  then  be  fixed 
in  a  position  akin  to  that  of  a  playful  puppy  with  his  tail  in 
his  mouth.  In  the  case  of  a  full  grown  horse  the  distance 
between  the  knot  on  the  tail  and  the  muzzle  should  be  about 
five  feet.  If  averse  to  having  his  tail  handled,  the  rider, 
to  be  quite  prepared  for  the  fray,  and  in  order  that  the  lesson 
be  short,  sharp,  and  decisive,  had  better  have  the  knot  on 
the  tail  tied  before  leaving  the  stable.  Start  the  horse  waltz- 
ing round  and  round,  and  keep  him  pirouetting  till,  from 
exhaustion  and  giddiness,  he  shows  signs  of  tumbling  or 
lying  down,  then  cast  loose  the  knot  from  the  tail,  take  the 
cord  in  the  left  hand  held  loosely,  and  be  on  his  back 
while  he  is  bewildered  and  his  brain  confused  and  dazed. 
He  will  by  this  time  have  learnt  that  "  what's  sauce  for  the 
goose  is  sauce  for  the  gander,"  and  that  there  is  little  use  in 
kicking  against  the  pricks.  Under  this  strange  distracting 
circling,  or  rather  revolving  on  the  centre,  system,  he  will 
come  back  to  his  right  mind  and  become  as  obedient  as  a 
well-broken  spaniel,  the  favourite  reesting-place  will  no  longer 


VICE.  127 

possess  any  attractions,  and  he  will  proceed  on  the  rider's 
way  a  sadder  and  a  wiser  animal.  Should  this  circumlocution 
treatment  not  be  sufficiently  drastic — repeat  the  dose. 

Shying  and   Starting. 

When  not  occasioned  by  defective  vision,  shying  is  either 
a  constitutional  infirmity,  a  vice,  or  the  outcome  of  high 
animal  spirits.  We  take  the  last  cause  first.  A  high  spirited 
horse  over-primed  with  too  liberal  allowance  of  oats  and 
short  of  work,  is  taken  out.  He  is  in  "  rare  fettle,"  the  hot 
blood  courses  through  his  veins,  he  is  in  exuberant  spirits, 
as  frolicsome  as  a  kitten,  "  fit  to  jump  out  of  his  skin,"  and, 
in  the  language  of  the  stable,  "  beany."  He  rejoices,  and  is 
exceeding  glad,  goes  as  if  scorning  to  touch  the  ground, 
flies  his  flag  gaily,  gets  his  head  in  the  air,  snorts,  and  every 
motion  tells  his  rider  that  the  sprightly  beast  is  ready  to 
jump  with  joy.  Presently  he  pricks  his  ears  forward  and, 
looking  intently  forward,  as  if  some  lion  were  in  his  path,  he 
cranes  and  stiffens  his  neck,  and  his  light  corky  dancing 
walk  changes  into  a  cautious  sort  of  march.  The  object 
that  has  riveted  his  attention  and  from  which  he  is  pre- 
pared to  shy,  is  merely  a  heap  of  road  metal,  or  perhaps  no 
more  than  a  leaf,  yet  he  either  spins  round  on  his  hind  legs 
or  shies  from  it,  starting  aside  like  a  broken  bow.  All  the 
time  he  has  been  preparing  for  a  shy,  a  start,  or  a  bolt. 
There  is  no  mistaking  the  signals.  As  likely  as  not  there 
may  be  no  object  at  which  he  may  have  an  excuse  for 
shying,  but  as  he  means  to  have  his  fling  out  he  pretends  to 
be  afraid  of  something  not  visible.  Anyhow  his  bound  aside 
is  as  sudden  and  vigorous  as  if  a  royal  tiger  with  an  angry  roar, 
or  rather  grunt  (for  Mr.  Stripes  grunts  or  growls  when  he 
charges)  had  sprung   upon  him.      The  horse's  antics,  no 


128  HORSEMANSHIP. 


doubt,  are  unpleasant,  but  surely  no  rider  in  his  senses 
would  punish  the  mettlesome,  frolicsome,  dumb  animal,  for 
having  his  bit  of  a  lark. 

An  habitual  shyer  can  be  told  the  moment  he  exhibits  his 
\'ice  j  he  ^vill,  from  having  been  frequently  punished,  make 
a  long,  and  possibly  dangerous  rush  past  the  object  that 
alarms  him.  Such  an  offender  is  difficult  to  deal  with. 
When  the  indications  of  an  impending  shy  are  evident,  a 
good  plan  is  to  immediately  pull  him  up  and  to  let  him 
stand  looking  at  the  object  of  his  fear,  speaking  kindly  to 
him  in  a  reassuring  tone.  Finding  it  does  not  move,  he 
will  soon  approach  it,  though  perhaps  giving  it  a  wide  berth, 
and,  like  the  Priest  or  the  Levite  in  the  parable  of  the  good 
Samaritan,  passing  by  on  the  other  side.  On  no  account 
force  him  on  ;  let  him  stand  and  look  at  it  till  he  has  not 
only  ceased  to  fear  it,  but  to  take  any  interest  in  it.  He  may 
pass  the  dreaded  obstacle  without  any  signs  of  timidity,  but 
should  he  still  show  any  aversion  or  nervousness,  appease 
his  apprehensions  by  talking  to  him  and  patting  him,  and  in 
approaching  it  incline  his  head  away  from  it.  Once  past  it, 
turn  him  round  and  walk  him  by  it  again,  and  when  his 
dread  of  it  has  disappeared,  coax  him  up  to  it,  let  him  walk 
round  and  round  it,  smell  it,  paw  it  if  he  ^^'ill,  feel  it  with  his 
upper  lip,  and  if  possible  walk  him  over  it. 

The  usual  and  most  unhorsemanlike  method  is,  by  dint 
of  bridle  and  spur,  to  force  the  horse  up  to,  or  hold  his  head 
towards,  the  object  of  his  dread,  to  "  cram  "  him  past  it, 
and  then  to  flog  and  spur  him,  so  that,  on  the  principle  of 
adding  fuel  to  the  flame,  he  has  two  fears  to  contend  against 
— that  of  his  own  imagination,  and  the  reality  of  certain 
punishment.  When  his  head  is  forcibly  directed  toward 
the  object,  his  hindquarters  are  naturally  turned  from  it, 
and  in  that  position,  he  with  the  greatest  ease  shies  or  backs 


VICE.  129 

away  from  it,  possibly  dropping  his  hind  legs  into  the  ditch 
by  the  roadside ;  whereas  if  the  opposite  rein  be  pulled,  his 
head  is  drawn  away  from  it,  he  may  make  a  rush  forward, 
but  he  cannot  swerve  laterally.  Having  ascertained  the 
objects  of  his  special  aversion,  you  should  by  every  means 
possible  familiarize  him  with  them.  If  pigeons  are  allowed 
to  fly  and  flutter  about  the  stable,  they  will  perch  on  the 
horse's  back  and  head  and  work  wonders  in  the  direction 
of  calming  his  fears.  Some  horses  have  a  great  objection 
to  passing  a  decomposed  carcase  of  an  animal ;  even  if  they 
cannot  see  it,  the  putrid  smell  appears  to  affect  their  highly 
sensitive  olfactory  nerves. 

Should  the  rider  be  in  a  hurry  and  mounted  on  a  bad 
confirmed  shyer,  he  must,  on  being  warned  of  his  intention, 
take  a  firm  hold  of  the  bridoon  in  both  hands,  and  draw  the 
bit  sharply  through  his  mouth,  squeeze  him  with  both  legs, 
turn  his  head  away  from  the  object,  giving  him  the  spur  on 
the  side  away  from  the  bo^ie^  and  at  a  sharp  pace  rattle  him 
past  it. 

Some  horses  are  very  awkward  when  meeting  or  being 
overtaken  by  vehicles.  In  Great  Britain  any  conveyance 
meeting  you  passes  on  your  right  hand.  My  advice  to  the 
reader  is  when  mounted  on  any  animal,  no  matter  how  per- 
fectly quiet,  staunch,  and  well-mannered,  on  seeing  anything 
unusual  approaching,  to  get  his  horse  well  in  hand.  Should  he 
evince  any  symptoms  of  alarm  and  fix  his  gaze  on  the  coming 
object,  speak  reassuringly  to  him,  bear  on  the  near  rein,  and 
pressing  him  with  the  left  leg,  touch  him  with  the  spur  on  that 
side.  "  A  stitch  in  time  saves  nine,"  so  pull  his  head  gently 
towards  the  hedge,  wall,  pavement,  or  whatever  may  hem 
you  in  on  the  left  side,  distract  his  attention  as  much  as 
possible,  and  endeavour  to  meet  and  pass  the  object  without 
his  seeing  it.     The  same  apphes  to  any  object  overtaking 

K 


I30  HORSEMANSHIP. 


you  from  behind.  You  both  are  aware  of  its  approach,  he 
does  not  see  it,  but  you  can.  As  before,  your  first  object, 
having  got  him  by  the  head,  is  to  divert  his  attention,  and 
then  to  turn  his  head  to  the  left,  incHning  your  course  in 
that  direction  also. 

The  most  awkward  position  a  rider  of  a  confirmed  shyer 
can  be  placed  in  is  when  he,  at  short  notice,  finds  himself 
meeting  a  rapidly  driven  vehicle  in  a  narrow  road  or  lane. 
He  is  painfully  aware  that  the  _  brute  will  shy  and  become 
ungovernable,  also  he  begins  to  be  aware  that  the  fast  near- 
ing  driver  cannot,  or  will  not,  pull  up.  There  are  \'isions  of 
a  capsize  into  the  ditch  or  the  fence,  of  imminent  collision 
and  of  serious  damage  to  all  concerned.  What  is[to  be  done  ? 
He  must  just  put  his  pride  in  his  pocket,  go  about,  and  seek 
safety  in  flight.  There  is  only  one  other  way  out  of  the 
dilemma,  and  that  is  to  put  the  horse  at  the  fence,  landing 
over  it  into  the  adjoining  field,  and  leaving  the  road  to  the 
vehicle.  Of  the  two  I  prefer  the  clean  ignominious  retreat. 
If  there  be  no  time  to  turn,  or  the  horse  is  inclined  to  "  stick 
up  "  or  "  reest,"  there  is  no  help  for  it  but  to  pull  his  head 
towards  the  approaching  object,  giving  him  at  the  same  time 
a  sharp  dig  with  the  spur  on  the  same  side.  This  will  send 
his  quarters  away  from  it  and  towards  the  fence,  then  as  the 
critical  moment  arrives  another  drive  from  the  off  Latchford 
will  straighten  him  a  bit,  and  he  will  pass  clear.  The  rider, 
if  he  wishes  to  save  his  knee,  must  never  ease-off  the  right 
rein.  The  horse  will  have  sense  enough  to  keep  his  head 
and  the  point  of  his  shoulder  out  of  harm's  way.  In  the 
case  of  being  overtaken  under  similar  straits,  all  the  rider  has 
to  do  is  to  keep  in  front  of  the  carriage  till  the  road  widens, 
or  some  friendly  cross-road,  bay,  or  open  gate  presents  itself. 

No  young  horse  properly  and  intelligently  broken  in  should 
be  guilty  of  shying. 


VICE.  131 


Buck-jumping  and  Plunging. 

Though  none  of  our  home-bred  horses  get  the  length,  as 
do  the  Australians,  of  bucking  the  saddle  right  off,  over 
head  and  forelegs,  without  breaking  the  girths,  yet  some  of 
them  are  very  awkward  customers  when  they  are  determined 
not  to  be  ridden.  A  "  double-hrst,"  at  the  art  of  buck- 
jumping  will,  at  the  shortest  notice  "  sling"  any  man  short 
of  an  Australian  stock-rider.  Good  sound  girths,  man, 
saddle  and  bridle,  if  stuck  to,  are  all  "  slung  "  of  a  heap  by 
the  mighty  efforts  of  the  horse.  He  will  bound  straight  up 
into  the  air — not  a  long  bound,  but  a  buck,  tuck  his  head 
between  his  fore  legs,  so  that  his  face  looks  right  on  the 
ground,  roach  his  back  like  a  hedge-hog,  spin  half  round  in 
the  air  and  come  down  with  all  four  legs  stiff  and  unyield- 
ing as  bars  of  cast-iron,  landing  with  a  "prop,"  the  con- 
cussion of  which  makes  his  rider's  ja^v's  crack.  Without 
changing  his  ground,  this  delightful  saltatory  performance, 
with  a  few  wriggles  and  rapid  lateral  jerks  thrown  in,  is  re- 
peated with  surprising  rapidity ;  buck  follows  buck  in  rapid 
succession,  interspersed  with  certain  spinnings  round  on  the 
hind  legs,  till  the  rider's  sticking-on  powers  are  tested  to 
the  fullest,  his  teeth  feel  pretty  well  loosened  and  his  spine 
rather  the  worse  for  wear.  The  wind-up  of  such  a  bout  is 
that  the  rider  suddenly  finds  himself  cleaving  the  air  as  if 
hurled  from  a  catapult,  and  if  he  can  quietly  endure,  as 
depicted  in  this  wood-cut,  he  will  overcome  the  most  deter- 
mined performer. 

During  these  vagaries  the  horseman  is  absolutely  power- 
less ;  all  he  can  do  is  to  stick  to  the  saddle  if  he  can.  A 
soft  sheepskin  or  numnah  under  the  saddle  has  been  known 
to  cure  some  buck-jumpers.    As  compared  with  this  energetic 


132 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


"  notice  to  quit,"  the  plunger's  efforts  are  as  child's  play. 
With  some  horses,  young  ones  especially,  it  is  a  mere  frolic, 
and  as  such  is  harmless.  When  about  to  commence  the 
game  he  will  shake  and  throw  his  head  about,  exhibiting 
impatience  of  restraint,  he  will  dance,  sidle,  and  fling  him- 
self about,  endeavouring,  at  the  same  time,  to  "  force  the 
hand  "  which,  as  explained  elsewhere,  is  the  act  of  suddenly 


{.^  '>J>_     r''"~<^ 


THE    LAST    RESOURCK. 


throwing  the  head  forward  with  a  view  to  release  the  mouth 
from  the  constraint  of  the  bit.  A  certain  amount  of  liberty 
of  head  must  be  accorded  when  he  plunges  forwards  and 
sideways,  but  on  no  account  must  he  be  permitted  to  get  it 
down  between  his  forelegs.  The  rider  must  sit  back  and 
sit  fast,  keep  his  horse's  head  up,  and  let  him  have  his  lark 
out.     The  vicious  plunger  is  an  animal  of  another  sort,  he, 


VICE.  133 

like  his  first  cousin  the  buck-jumper,  means  that  his  rider 
should  be  "  slung."  He  is  quiet  enough  during  the  process 
of  mounting,  and  lets  him  remain  so  long  as  he  is  not  asked 
to  move  on,  but  when  the  mandate  comes  to  make  pro- 
gress, he  forthwith  "  sets  to  "  in  downright  earnest.  With 
an  angry  snatch  at  the  bit,  back  come  his  ears  and  down 
goes  his  head,  he  hugs  his  tail  like  a  hound  under  the  lash, 
swells  himself  out,  hogs  his  back  till  it  is  arched  like  a 
camel's,  and  without  further  preliminaries — these  don't  take 
much  longer  than  a  second  or  two — he  plunges  forward  with 
mighty  bounds.  Here  again  there  is  little  for  the  rider  to 
do  save  to  stick  on  and  keep  the  sulky  brute  straight.  This 
is  the  display  of  a  pure  unadulterated  sulky  disposition;  the 
American  word  "  cussedness  "  best  describes  it. 

Violence  of  temper  may  be  gentled  down  by  firm  and 
judicious  treatment  and  handling,  but  these  sullen  disposi- 
tions can  never  be  eradicated.  Such  an  animal,  if  tackled 
by  a  determined  rider,  is  generally  found  to  be  a  hung-hill, 
hare-hearted  brute.  Such  a  one  should  be  taken  into  a  deep 
clay,  ploughed  field,  and  there  provoked  to  a  duel.  The 
clay  would  afford  good  foothold,  but  no  "jumping  powder." 
Armed  with  a  severe  Newmarket  flogger  and  long  hunting 
spurs,  the  horseman,  holding  him  by  one  hand,  will  rain 
stinging  cuts  over  his  head,  ears,  neck,  shoulder,  and  flank, 
lancing  his  sides  all  the  while,  till  he  gives  up  the  contest. 
The  treatment  may  be  cruel,  but  such  a  horse  is  nothing 
but  a  cow-hearted  bully,  and  should  be  flogged  like  a 
garotter. 

When  riding  a  plunging  horse  use  the  Fitzwilliam  girth, 
or  have  three  girths  to  the  saddle,  two  fairly  tight,  the  third 
slacker,  so  that  in  the  event — a  very  probable  one— of  the 
two  braced  ones  giving  way,  the  third  may  hold  the  saddle. 

In  concluding  my  few  notes  on  Vices,  I  wish  to  accentuate 


34  HORSEMANSHIP. 


my  already  recorded  opinion  that,  under  no  circumstances 
should  a  lady  ride  a  horse  addicted  to  any  of  the  besetting 
sins  referred  to  in  this  chapter,  nor  ought  she  to  be  seen 
outside  one  possessing  any  fault  likely  to  compromise  her 
safety.  Nevertheless,  it  behoves  her  to  be  armed  at  all 
points,  and  prepared  to  control  all  sorts  of  steeds.  Should 
she,  unhappily,  be  called  upon  to  baffle  the  misbehaviour  of 
some  unruly  animal,  she  must,  above  all  things,  studiously 
preserve  her  calm,  collected,  presence  of  mind.  The  least 
symptom  of  nervousness  on  her  part  will  at  once  com- 
municate itself  to  her  opponent,  and  the  response  will  be 
more  energetic  rebellion.  On  no  account  must  the  feel 
on  the  m.outh  be  abandoned  to  seize  hold  on  the  crutch 
or  pommel ;  the  relaxing  of  the  reins,  except  in  the  case  of 
rearing,  means  certain  defeat.  Should  any  vice  suddenly 
develop  itself,  such  as  will  not  yield  to  gentle  treatment, 
then  the  task  of  bringing  the  offender  into  subjection  must 
be  left  to  the  so-called  "  rough-rider,"  or  to  IMr.  Galvayne 
and  his  pupils.  Certainly  the  administration  of  severe 
punishment  or  coercion  is  not  the  province  of  the  lady. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

BITS    AND    BITTING. 


There  is  a  key  to  every  mouth,  provided  the  rider  knows 
the  high  art  of  applying  it.  What  are  termed  "  fine  hands  " 
are  inborn  rarities  to  be  developed  only  by  long  and  patient 
practice  with  all  sorts  of  animals.  A  perfect  hand  is  what 
in  pianoforte  playing  the  "  touch  "  is  in  contra-distinction 


BITS  AXD  BITTING.  135 

to  "  execution."  How  often  does  it  happen  that  the  light 
hand  of  a  woman  softens  and  controls,  with  a  kind  of  magic 
touch,  the  temper  of  the  most  fretful  steed,  when,  the  moment 
a  man  gets  on  his  back,  the  same  horse  becomes  an  un- 
governable brute  ? 

The  best  bit  and  bridle  for  a  horse  is,  of  course,  that 
which  is  best  adapted  to  the  particular  work  he  is  required 
to  perform.  The  Bedaween  Arab  sets  little  store  by  speed, 
but  places  a  very  high  value  on  what  the  Scotch  term  "jink- 
ing," and  coursing  men  "  wrenching " — his  life  depending 
on  this  ability  of  his  mettlesome  mount.  And  yet  he,  like 
the  warlike  Persians  of  old,  frequently  has  no  bit,  but  guides 
his  horse  by  the  shaft  of  his  long  lance  and  restrains  him 
by  a  chain  nose-band.  In  the  frieze  of  the  Temple  of 
Minerva,  in  the  Acropohs  of  Athens,  the  horses  are  repre- 
sented as  ridden  without  bridle  or  saddle. 

Allan  INIcDonogh,  whose  name  as  one  of  the  finest  steeple- 
chase riders  of  all  time  will  be  handed  down  hand-in-hand 
with  the  charming  Brunette,  steered  Sailor  to  victory  over  a 
very  severe  course  at  Bandon,  having,  for  the  last  mile  and 
a  half,  nothing  but  his  whip  to  guide  with.  The  "  chaser" 
had  breasted  a  high  bank  and,  in  rising,  broke  the  throat 
lash,  the  bridle  coming  off  in  his  prostrate  pilot's  hand. 
McDonogh,  a  good  faller,  was  in  the  saddle  before  the  horse 
had  righted  himself,  was  soon  in  pursuit,  and  crowded  on  so 
much  sail  that  Sailor  actually  took  a  "boreen" — a  narrow 
lane  between  two  stiff  banks — in  his  stride.  The  riders  of 
the  other  horses,  seeing  him  bridleless,  tried  to  run  him  out 
at  the  turn,  but  the  masterful  jockey  was  equal  to  the  occa- 
sion, and,  almost  climbing  out  onto  the  fast  speeding  Sailor's 
neck,  clasped  his  nose,  so  guided  him  round  the  post,  and, 
with  a  straight  course  in  front  of  him,  made  all  the  rest  of 
the  running — winning  easily. 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


For  cavalry  purposes,  where  so  much  depends  on  the  charger 
being  taught  to  halt  or  stop,  turn,  wheel,  and  "  reverse,"  at 
full  speed,  all  of  which  necessitate  his  being  well  in  hand  so 
as  to  be  thrown  instantaneonsly  on  his  haunches  or  to  change 
his  legs,  the  curb-bit  is  of  paramount  necessity,  otherwise 
his  rider  could  not  give  fullest  eftect  to  his  weapon.  The 
Austrahan  stockman's  horse  or  the  Indian  "pig  sticker" 
can  do  all  this,  and  more,  in  a  plain  snaffle,  but  the  one 
always  has  his  eye  on  the  break-away  bull,  steer,  or  cow, 
the  latter  on  the  bristly  four-footed  bandit.  The  polo  pony 
soon  takes  as  much  interest  in  the  game  as  his  master,  and 
learns  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  ball.  Not  so  with  the  cavalry 
soldier,  who  for  the  first  time,  and  probably  for  the  last, 
makes  the  acquaintance  of  his  foeman  on  the  held  of  battle. 
We  see  illustrations  of  mounted  swordsmanship  at  our  so- 
called  military  tournaments ;  but  these  exhibitions  are  as  like 
the  actual  stern  reality  as  weak  tea  is  to  spirit  above  proof. 
In  the  mele'e  all  depends  on  a  powerful,  active,  and  handy 
horse,  completely  under  control,  on  the  rider's  firm  seat  and 
balance,  on  his  strong  arm,  knowledge  of  his  weapon,  and 
unflinching  courage,  and  last,  but  not  least,  to  a  bit  of  luck 
and  the  absence  of  a  stray  shot. 

Curb-bits  and  curb-chains  are  all  very  well  when  the 
horse  has  to  be  slightly  thrown  on  his  haunches  with  his 
head  in  a  certain  position,  but  when  loosed  in  the  easy 
freedom  of  his  speed,  "  upon  the  pinions  of  the  wind,"  on 
turf,  light  soil,  and  over  fences  of  almost  every  description 
— always  excluding  a  hot  eager  mount  in  Crampshire — there 
is  no  bit  to  compare  with  the  snaffle.  A  snaffle  bridle 
hunter  is  a  luxury  I  shall  treat  of  in  another  volume.  Sir 
Francis  Head,  writing  on  this  subject,  sensibly  remarks, 
"  When  a  horse  is  enabled,  like  a  soldier  whose  stiff  stock 
has  just  been  unbuckled  (a  relic  of  barbarism  no  longer  in 


BITS  AND  BITTING.  157 

use),  to  drop  his  head  to  its  natural  position,  he  not  only- 
goes  safely,  but  without  risk  of  cutting  his  fetlocks  over 
ground  deeply  covered  with  loose  impediments  of  any 
description ;  and,  accordingly,  in  Surrey,  it  has  long  been  a 
hunting  axiom  that  it  is  the  curb-bridles  which,  by  throwing 
hunters  on  their  haunches  in  a  false  position,  cause  them  to 
cut  their  back  sinews  with  those  sharp  flints  which,  in  a 
snaffle  bit,  they  can  clatter  over  without  injury."  That 
admirable  horsewoman,  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue  is  in 
favour  of  a  double-ring  snaffle,  which  is  termed  "  the 
improved  Newmarket  snaffle." 

I  have  always  found,  during  a  somewhat  lengthy  experience, 
that  the  unmanageableness  of  certain  horses  is,  in  a  large 
majority  of  cases,  due  either  to  over-bitting  or  to  the  pro- 
verbial "  hands  of  iron  "  which,  among  men  especially,  are 
the  rule  rather  than  the  exception.  One  of  our  at  one  time 
crack  steeplechase  jockeys,  who  shall  be  nameless^  but  who 
has  been  on  the  back  of  many  winners,  from  that  of  the 
Grand  National  downwards,  has  such  a  heavy  unyielding 
hold  of  a  horse  that  any  animal,  no  matter  how  silky  of 
mouth,  entering  his  stable,  leaves  it  a  hard  dead  puller. 

I  do  not  subscribe  to  the  very  generally  accepted  opinion 
that  there  are  as  many  degrees  of  mouths  as  there  are  horses, 
and  that,  consequently,  each  individual  unit  of  the  equine 
race  requires  a  particular  bit  made  to  suit  him.  Were  such 
the  case,  then  "touch,"  or  deft  handling,  would  be  of  little 
effect,  and  the  loriner's  inventive  faculty  would  know  no 
rest.  Already  the  bridle-bit  maker's  genius  and  ingenuity 
has  been  pretty  freely  exercised,  for  since  the  days  of  tlie 
Roman  emperors  (Theodosius  is  represented  in  an  ancient 
sculpture  riding  with  one  warranted  to  break  the  jaw  of  the 
bull-headed  Bucephalus)  up  to  the  present  there  are  no  fewer 
than  some  six  scores  of  bits  all  said  to  act  like  a  charm  on 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


bolters,  runaways,  pullers,  dead  mouths,  et  hoc  genus  onme. 
The  purchaser  can  be  provided  with  anything  from  the  plain 
hunting  (Fig.  i)  and  the  easy  "Mulling"  mouthed  snaffle 
(Fig.  3),  the  saw-faced,  double-jointed  instrument  of  torture 
known  as  Woods'  snaffle  (Fig.  4)  to  the  Chifney  (Fig.  14) 
with  its  enormous  leverage,  or  the  powerful  combined  double 
snaffle,  "  The  Champion,"  of  ^Messrs.  Champion  and  Wilton. 
New  patents  are  being  constantly  applied  for,  claiming  to 
be  the  best  bits  in  the  world ;  and  that  these  cranks,  fads,  or 
notions  are,  in  the  words  of  the  advertisers,  of  course"  con- 
structed on  purely  scientific  principles  "  goes  without  saying. 

It  is  not  only  the  horse's  mouth  that  the  rider  has  to  con- 
trol :  he  has  high  courage,  and  often  temper — the  latter  in 
nine  cases  out  of  ten  the  outcome  of  bad  and  stupid  treat- 
ment— defective  setting  on  and  carriage  of  the  head,  and 
peculiarities  of  action  to  deal  with.  Few,  if  any  of  us,  have 
given  such  practical  and  careful  attention  to  this  important 
subject  of  Bits  and  Bitting  as  did  the  late  Don  Juan  Secundo, 
a  brilliant  exponent  of  the  haute  ecole,  and  the  inventor  of  a 
bit  bearing  his  name.  The  Segundo  bit  was  held  in  high 
esteem  by  that  prince  of  loriners,  the  late  !Mr.  Benjamin 
Latchford,  of  St.  Martin's  Lane. 

This  Spanish  centaur  made  the  horse's  mouth  his  special 
and  close  study  for  a  period  of  many  years,  bringing  super- 
lative horsemanship,  exquisite  hands,  rare  intelligence,  and 
a  fine  temper,  to  bear  on  the  handling  of  this  little  under- 
stood organ.  Attentive  investigation  and  mechanical  genius 
enabled  him  to  determine,  on  fixed  principles,  the  precise 
form  and  method  after  which  each  part  of  the  bit  should  be 
shaped  and  put  together  so  as  to  accommodate  itself  to  each 
class  of  mouth,  thus  rendering  the  horse  easy  and  pleasant 
to  ride,  and  the  bit,  though  mild,  thoroughly  eftectual.  To 
determine  these  principles  he  first  of  all  studied  the  anatomy 


MO  HORSEMANSHIP. 

of  the  mouth,  externally  and  internally,  observing  precisely 
where  and  how  the  various  bits  exercised  their  control, 
where  and  why  they  produced  irritation  and  soreness,  and 
where,  by  exercising  an  excess  of  pressure,  they  by  degrees 
deadened  and  hardened  the  bars.  His  aim  was  the  maxi- 
mum of  power  to  the  horseman  with  the  minimum  of  pres- 
sure on  the  bars  and  chin.  At  the  same  time  means  had  to 
be  devised  by  which  to  do  away  with  the  aptness  of  the 
tongue  to  interpose  itself,  as  a  sort  of  cushion,  between  the 
bars  and  the  mouth-piece  of  the  bit. 

The  mouth,  so  far  as  it  is  affected  by  bitting,  consists  of 
the  lips,  the  bars,  the  channel,  the  palate,  and  the  tongue. 
The  bars — that  toothless  portion  of  the  gum  of  the  lower 
jaw,  which  is  between  the  molars  and  the  tush  in  the  case 
of  the  horse,  and  between  the  molars  and  incisors  in  that 
of  the  mare,  and  on  which  the  cannons  of  the  bit  rest — 
vary  in  shape  considerably.  If  fleshy,  round,  and  low,  the 
mouth,  unless  tenderly  handled,  is  almost  certain  in  time 
to  become  dead.  When  moderately  sharp  and  thin  they 
constitute  what  goes  towards  making  a  good  mouth,  but 
if  lean  and  very  sharp,  especially  in  the  case  of  a  hot 
or  high-couraged  horse,  they  are  almost  certain  to  form  a 
very  tender  mouth,  best  suited  to  the  give-and-take  handhng 
of  a  lady.  These  remarks  also  apply  to  the  chin.  A  large 
tongue  is  objectionable  from  its  already  stated  aptitude 
to  prevent  the  free  and  exclusive  action  of  the  mouth-piece 
on  the  bars,  by  which,  while  defecting  the  controlling 
power  of  the  bit,  it  is  itself  often  severely  injured.  We 
know  how  sensitive  this  organ  is,  and  what  agony  a  wound 
of  it  entails.  It  became,  therefore,  necessary  that  the  liberty 
or  port  intended  for  it  should  surround  it  horizontally, 
besides  being  of  sufficient  capacity  for  it  to  be  lodged 
with  ease. 


BITS  AND   BITTIXG. 


A  bit  is  composed  of  four  principal  parts  or  pieces- 


■the 

Brandies,  which  are  divided  into  two  parts,  the  one  A, 
the  butt  or  end  of  the  mouth,  upwards  to  B,  the  top-eye, 
called  the  Cheek ;  the  other  extending  downwards  from  the 
butt  A  to  C,  called  the  Leg,  In  proportion  as  the  cheeks 
and  legs  of  the  bit  are  long  or  short  the  horse  will  carry  his 
head  either  high  or  low. 

The  mouth-piece  is  divided  into  three  parts,  namely,  the 
cannonsy  which  extend  from    i 
to  2,  the  heels  from  2  to  3,  and 
the  arch  or  port  for  the  tongue, 

4,  4,  4. 

Mr.  Segundo  was  led  to 
classify  all  mouths  under  four 
heads,  namely,  three  defective, 
and  one  good  mouth.  To  these 
he  added  two  additional,  result- 
ing from  falsely  placed  heads, 
making  six  in  all,  thus  : — 

ist  class — Runaway,  or  very 
hard-mouthed  horses. 

2nd  class. —  Hard  -  mouthed 
horses,  or  those  bearing  heavily  on  the  bit. 

3rd  class. — Good-mouthed  horses. 

4th     „    — Very  tender-mouthed  horses. 

5th     ,,    — Star-gazers,  or  horses  that   carry  their  heads 
too  high. 

6th     „    — Borers,  or  horses  that  go  with  their  heads  close 
to  their  chests. 

In  order  to  deal  with  class  i,  runaway  or  very  hard- 
mouthed  horses,  the  leg  of  the  bit  is  of  great  length  and 
inclined  forward,  also  the  curb-chain  is  very  severe,  being 
composed  of  enchained  links,  the  bars  of  which  are  angular. 


THE   SEGUNDO    HIT. 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


With  class  2,  the  leg  is  somewhat  shortened,  and  in  a  straight 
line  with  the  cheek,  the  curb  also  less  sharp  and  angular. 
For  good  mouths  the  legs  are  still  shorter,  the  links  of  the 
curb  quite  round,  interwoven,  and  of  regular  width.  A 
special  bit  is  designed  for  very  tender  mouths  and  for  colts. 
As  the  curb  chain  has  to  act  on  the  most  sensitive  chin,  it  is 
made  wide,  with  interwoven  links,  in  order  that  the  too 
sensitive  horse  may  bear  upon  the  bit  without  shrinking 
from  or  being  hurt  by  it  j  in  other  words,  that  he  may  "  face 
his  bit."  An  elastic  curb-chain  is  recommended  for  the  very 
tenderest  chins.  For  star-gazers  the  curb-chain  is  of  the 
same  make  and  proportions  as  that  for  good-mouthed  horses, 
in  order  that  the  horse,  which  has  been  punished  by  severe 
curb-chains  and  is  touchy  and  tender  about  the  chin,  may 
not  throw  up  his  head  and  carry  it  like  a  giraffe ;  and  that, 
in  case  of  a  natural  defect  of  setting  on  of  the  head,  he 
may  yield  to  the  leverage  of  the  long  legs  of  the  bit,  with- 
out being  worried  by  the  curb-chain.  In  combating  the 
propensity  to  bore,  the  curb  chain  is  on  the  same  principle, 
as  that  recommended  for  hard-mouthed  horses,  or  such  as 
bear  heavily  on  the  bit,  the  legs  being  considerably  shortened. 
The  ai?'b-hooks,  of  which  that  on  the  off  side  of  the  cheek 
is  termed  the  S,  that  on  the  near  side  the  hook,  call  for  a 
passing  word.  As  it  is  important  that  the  curb-chain  should 
always  lie  on  the  chin — each  class  of  bit,  according  to  the 
length  of  the  cheek,  having  a  hook  of  a  difterent  size  or 
length — the  length  should  be  measured  from  the  point  of 
attachment  with  the  top  eye  of  the  cheek  to  the  centre  of 
the  cannon  or  butt  of  the  mouth-piece.  In  the  proper  adjust- 
ment of  the  curb-chain  depends  the  whole  action  of  the  bit. 
Close  attention  to  the  following  rules  is,  consequently,  re- 
commended : — See  that  the  bit  be  the  exact  width  of  the 
horse's  mouth,  to  prevent  it  slipping  either  to  the  right  hand 


BITS  AND  BITTING. 


or  the  left,  and  the  heels  of  the  mouth-piece  from  hurting  or 
pressing  more  on  one  bar  than  on  the  other.  The  proper 
place  for  the  mouth-piece  is  about  half  an  inch  above  the 
tush  of  the  lower  jaw.  In  the  case  of  hard-mouthed  horses 
the  curb-chain  should  be  rather  tight  :  for  good-mouthed 
horses,  star-gazers,  and  borers^  neither  too  light  nor  too 
loose ;  for  very  tender-mouthed  horses,  rather  loose  than 
tight. 

An  important  point  in  the  action  of  the  Segundo  bit  is 
that  the  mouth-piece  has  a  partially  rotatory  movement 
on  its  branches;  or,  more  plainly,  the  branches  move 
upon  the  ends  or  butts  of  the  mouth-piece  to  the  extent 
of  a  quarter  of  a  circle.  For  this  movement  the  inventor 
claims  the  following  noteworthy  advantages  : — ist,  It  enables 
the  horse  to  keep  the  mouth-piece  always  in  its  proper  place, 
independent  of  the  branches,  the  slightest  movement  of  the 
tongue  sufiicing  to  introduce  it  into  its  port  or  arch,  and 
thus  fix  it  in  that  position  which  is  best  suited  to  the  former. 
2nd,  The  friction  of  the  mouth-piece  against  the  bars,  occa- 
sioned by  every  pull  of  the  bridle,  which,  by  constant 
repetition,  hardens  them,  is  hereby  almost  entirely,  if  not 
altogether,  done  away  with.  3rd,  Were  a  vicious  horse  to 
seize  the  bit,  or  one  of  its  branches,  with  his  teeth,  he  could 
still  be  made  to  feel  the  bit,  because,  the  branches  acting 
independently  of  each  other,  and  of  the  mouth-piece  itself,  the 
curb-chain  may  be  brought  instantly  into  play,  and  the  horse 
under  its  subjection.  Thus  those  fatal  accidents,  hitherto  of 
daily  occurrence,  which  proceed  from  the  rider  or  driver 
being  unable  to  stop  his  horse  on  account  of  the  action  of 
the  branches  being  suspended,  are  sure  to  be  avoided  by 
means  of  the  rotary  movement  given  to  the  mouth-piece. 
4th,  It  frees  the  tongue  from  all  oppression,  and  the  horse 
from  the  necessity  of  putting  it  out;  or  of  drawing  it  over 


144 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


the  mouthpiece,  because  the  port  has  sufficient  room  to  allow 
the  tongue  to  move  with  ease,  an  advantage  of  which  it 
would  be  deprived  if  the  mouthpiece  were  without  this 
movement. 

Amongst  horsemen  generally  there  are  erroneous  views 
as  to  the  action  of  the  port.  It  is  commonly  believed 
that  when  the  mouth-piece,  by  the  elevation  of  its  port,  bears 
against  the  palate,  the  rider  or  driver  has  greater  command 
over  the  horse ;  so  the  poor  quadruped  is  tortured  by  bar- 
barisms such  as  gridiron  swing  and  stop  ports,  sliding  ports, 
solid  gridiron  ports,  Turkey  ports,  and  other  devices  designed 
to  bear  against  and  bruise  the  palate.  The  power  of  the  bit 
depends  solely  on  the  proportion  of  the  branches.  A  too 
low  and  small  port,  however,  is  as  bad  as  one  that  is  too 
high,  for  it  acts  with  similar  violence  on  the  tongue,  squeez- 
ing it  between  the  cannons  of  the  mouth-piece  and  the  bars, 
and  forcing  it  to  assume  an  unnatural  position.  When  a  horse 
is  seen  to  loll  out  his  tongue,  or  to  be  constantly  gaping  or 
opening  his  mouth,  depend  on  it  the  poor  animal  is  seeking 
relief  from  some  defective  construction  of  the  bit.  The 
habit  is  a  great  annoyance,  but  the  owner  has  it  in  his  power 
to  eradicate  it. 

Anyone  noticing  the  hansom  cab  horses  of  the  metropolis 
must  be  convinced  of  the  prevalence  of  a  habit  of  boring 
to  one  side  of  the  street  and  of  perpetually  hanging  on  one 
rein.  There  is  nothing  more  irksome,  not  to  say  dangerous, 
to  rider  or  driver  than  a  one-sided  mouth,  nothing  more 
difficult  to  cure.  It  arises  in  the  first  place  from  one  of  the 
bars  becoming  more  callous  than  the  other,  owing  to  greater 
use  being  made  of  one  rein  than  of  the  other,  producing,  by 
unequal  pressure,  greater  friction  on  one  of  the  bars.  Reins 
of  unequal  length  may  cause  this  defect  of  mouth.  When 
once  the   mouth    assumes   this   one-sidedness,   the  horse. 


BITS  AND  BITTING.  145 

desirous  to  relieve  the  sensitive  bars  of  the  pressure,  turns 
his  head  to  that  side,  and  the  more  the  rider  or  reinsman 
pulls  in  the  contrary  direction,  the  more  the  horse  persists 
in  his  vice.  Sometimes,  but  very  rarely,  horses  are  met  with, 
which,  from  malformation  of  the  mouth,  have  one  bar  higher 
than  the  other,  a  defect  producing  considerable  irritation, 
but  in  the  great  majority  of  cases,  the  habit  is  created  by  bad 
hands  holding  on  to  a  bad  bit,  by  careless  and  inattentive 
riders  and  drivers.  Only  a  skilful  and  experienced  hand 
can  successfully  combat  this  habit,  hence  it  is  that  we  see  so 
many  good-looking  horses  condemned  to  the  slavery  of  the 
cab-rank.  The  most  efficacious  means  of  cure  is  a  radical 
change  of  bit,  and  it  alone  can  lessen  the  acquired  defect. 
A  snaffle  bit,  a  piece  of  chain  being  substituted  for  that 
half  of  the  mouth-piece  which  rests  on  the  callous  bar,  has 
been  recommended,  as  has  been  a  bit  of  flannel  wound 
round  that  side  of  the  bit  to  which  the  horse  is  inattentive. 
Probably  a  snaffle  smooth  on  the  sensitive  half  of  the 
mouth,  and  with  a  twist  on  the  other  would  have  the  same 
effect.  With  change  of  bit  must  come  change  of  hands, 
and  they  must  be  those  of  a  master  of  his  art. 

If  a  bit  does  not  suit  a  horse  he  will,  by  restlessness,  throw* 
ing  his  head  about,  yawning,  going  "one-sided,"  carrying  his 
head  either  too  low  or  too  high,  by  slabbering,  and  by 
various  dumb  motions,  speedily  apprise  his  rider  of  the  fact. 
i\Ir.  Benjamin  Latchford — whose  name  is  a  household  word 
among  horsemen  as  bridle,  bit,  stirrup  and  spur  maker,  one 
of  "  the  good  men  of  the  mystery  of  loriners,"  a  craft  or 
guild  having  its  ordinances  dating  back  to  the  times  of 
Henry  IL,  son  of  King  John — gave  it  as  his  opinion  that 
"  the  horse  has  naturally  no  vice,  and  that  every  description 
of  vice  found  in  him  is  created  by  the  treatment  he  receives 
from  those  in  whose  care  he  is  placed."      To  illustrate  this 

L 


146  HORSEMANSHIP. 


doctrine,  one  to  which  I  heartily  subscribe,  he,  out  of  hun- 
dreds of  cases,  quotes  two,  which  will  bear  repeating.  The 
Mr.  John  Tilbury  referred  to  was  as  well-known  in  the  horse 
world  as  is  I\lr.  Edmund  Tattersall  to  the  present  generation. 
"  At  the  time  when  John  Tilbury,  of  Pinner,  ]\Iiddlesex, 
kept  many  first-class  horses,  an  intimate  friend  of  his,  whose 
town  house  was  in  Berners  Street,  Oxford  Street,  and  his 
country  house  at  Richmond  Hill,  had  a  beautiful  black  horse; 
he  was  a  full-sized  animal  of  splendid  symmetry,  and  his 
pace  not  amiss,  as  he  always  took  the  cab  with  his  master, 
mistress  and  tiger,  without  the  use  of  the  whip,  from  one 
house  to  the  other  within  the  hour.  He  came  to  me,  after 
unsuccessfully  trying  all  the  bits  ^Ir.  Tilbury  had  ;  and,  by 
Mr.  Tilbury's  recommendation,  he  told  me  the  horse  had 
worked  extremely  well  for  some  considerable  time,  but  for 
the  last  six  or  eight  months  had  carried  his  head  on  one 
side — so  much  so  that  he  was  sure  he  could  not  see  his 
way  properly.  I  told  him  I  thought  the  horse  was  over- 
bitted  ;  he  was  quite  sure  he  was  not.  I  showed  him  an  old 
Stanhope  bit,  with  a  very  easy  mouthpiece,  which  I  oftered 
to  lend  him  to  try.  It  was  very  old-fashioned  and  of  scarcely 
any  value.  He  said,  '  Do  you  want  to  see  my  cab  smashed 
and  one  or  more  killed  ?  '  I  asked  him  whether  the  horse 
was  a  kicker.  He  said,  '  No,  he  is  not.'  Then  I  offered 
to  get  into  the  cab  myself  and  drive  ;  but  he  said  my  life 
was  of  more  value  to  society  than  his,  and  it  would  appear 
cowardly  of  him  if  anything  were  to  occur  ;  so_,  after  an  hour 
or  so,  he  consented  to  try  the  bit.  I  put  it  on,  he  drove 
away,  and  in  half-an-hour  called  to  ask  me  to  lend  it  to 
him  for  a  few  days.  I  told  him  to  keep  it  for  a  week  or  a 
fortnight.  He  came  in  about  a  fortnight  after  and  asked 
me  the  price  of  the  bit.  I  told  him  I  would  make  one 
for  him  with  the  cheeks  to  match  his  carriage  bit,  which 


BITS  AND   BITTING. 


M7 


was  a  very  handsome  one  which  I  had  made  shortly  pre- 
vious. He  was  very  pleased  with  the  bit,  and  paying  me 
the  high  price  of  his  carriage  bit  for  it,  said  it  was  the 
cheapest  article  he  had  ever  bought,  for  with  it  the  horse  ran 
as  straight  as  an  arrow,  and  that  the  bit  and  horse  should 
never  be  separated  while  he  lived."  The  other  instance, 
and  perhaps  the  more  convincing,  was  in  the  case  of  a 
gentleman,  born  and  bred  in  the  hunting  field,  but  not  over- 
burdened by  the  cash  balance 
at  his  bankers',  who  bought 
likely,  but  seemingly  unman- 
ageable horses,  for,  say  twenty 
guineas.  By  patience  and  kind 
perseverance  he  would  find 
the  right  sort  of  bit,  and,  by 
strict  attention  coax  the  horse 
away  from  any  and  every  vice 
he  found  it  had  previously 
contracted.  Calling  on  Mr. 
Latchford,  in  order  to  pur- 
chase a  No.  2  Segundo  bit,  he 
related  the  following  story  : 
"  I  gave  twenty  guineas  for  a 
horse  I  have  now  sold.  I 
never  [give  more  than  twenty  guineas,  and  when  I  sell,  my 
price  is  invariably  one  hundred  and  twenty  guineas.  The 
horse  I  have  just  sold  I  purchased  for  twenty  guineas,  because 
no  one  could  ride  him.  First  I  found  the  bit  to  suit  his  mouth, 
then,  with  kind  treatment  and  proper  exercise,  I  soon  had 
the  best  hunter  in  the  field.  A  young  nobleman,  with  three 
or  four  good  hunters,  was  very  vexed  that  he  could  not  keep 
up  with  me.  He  bought  my  horse,  which,  of  course,  I  sent 
to  his  stables.     The  next  time  out  the  horse  was  no  better 


THE    STAMlOI'i:    BIT. 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


than   his  others  ;  another  day,   and  still   the   same.       He 
cursed,  he  swore,  and,  in  his  passion,  said  he  would  have  the 
horse  shot.     Of  course  the  gentlemen  of  the  hunt  would  not 
allow  such  a  thing  with  a  horse  they  had  seen  work  so  well, 
so  he  sold  me  the  horse  for  twenty  guineas,  and  I  put  my 
old  bridle  on  the  right  bit  and  took  the  lead  as  before,  which 
so  exasperated  the  young  nobleman  that  he  challenged  my 
education  in  riding  ;  said  he  could  ride  as  well  as  I  could, 
he  had  been  taught  by  as  good  masters  as  I  had,  and  a  great 
deal  more    of  such  intemperate  language,  and,  after  some 
five  or  six  good  runs,  said  he  must  have  the  horse,  for  he 
could  no  longer  be  left  in  the  cold.     So  next  time  we  went 
out,  being  very  near  each  other,  and  seeing  that  he  was  very 
much  out  of  temper,  I  offered  to  change  seats — I  to  ride  his 
horse,  and  he  to  ride  mine,    and   all   went  well.     He  was 
delighted,  and  on  our   return  he  gave   me  a  second  one 
hundred   and    twenty   guineas,  and   I    sent  the   horse    to 
his  stable — bridle   and    saddle,  just    as    he  was — with  in- 
structions always  to  use  him  in  that  bridle  and  saddle,  and 
no  other;  and,  as  I  have  another  horse  the  No.  2  Segundo 
bit  suits  so  well,  I  am  come  to  buy  one."     Mr.  Latchford 
adds,  "  No  part  of  God's  creation  is  more  varied — conse- 
quently requires  more  patience  and  kind  attention — than 
the   horse's    mouth    and  temper."      In    that    gentleman's 
opinion,   an    opinion    deserving  the   greatest   respect,   he 
found  the  Segundo  bit,  witli  the  exception  of  the  Melton 
bit  (Plate  A^  No.  5)  to  suit  more  horses  than  any  other,  and 
to  be  in  greater  demand.       If  I  may  venture  to  hazard  an 
opinion,  somewhat  opposed  to  that  of  this  long  practised 
expert,  I  [should  say  that  the  Melton  pattern,  good  as  it  un- 
doubtedly is,  in  a  nice  tender  mouth,  would  be  greatly  im- 
proved by  the  substitution  of  the  Segundo  thick-heeled  port. 
The  limited  space  at  my  disposal  will  not  permit  me  to 


BITS  AND  BITTING.  r49 

enter  as  fully  as  I  could  desire  into  this  important  subject. 
In  a  future  volume  devoted  to  Driving,  I  shall  have 
occasion  to  discuss  it  more  fully. 

On  page  139  are  illustrated  the  various  riding  bits  in 
common  use,  and  of  these  I  have  no  hesitation  in  emphati- 
cally condemning  No.  4,  Wood's  snaffle,  and  No.  12,  the 
Bentinck  bit.  No.  r,  the  plain  snaffle,  No.  2,  the  double- 
mouthed  snaffle,  and  No.  3,  the  Milling-mouthed  snaffle,  are 
three  useful  bits,  of  which  No.  2  is  the  most  powerful.  Nos. 
5,  6  and  7  are  three  varieties  of  bit  and  bradoon,  or  bridoon ; 
the  first,  of  the  type  generally  used  for  steeple-chasing,  and 
sometimes  in  flat  racing ;  the  second,  the  Leicester  bit,  with 
twisted  bridoon,  is  essentially  for  hunting,  as  is  the  third, 
which  has  a  port  and  plain-mouthed  bridoon.  No.  8  is  a 
hunting  bit,  with  slide  mouth,  which  is  sometimes  fitted  with 
rollers,  seven  in  number.  All  the  above,  with  the  exception 
of  No.  4 — which  is  only  introduced  as  a  sample  of  what  cruel 
artifices  man  can  be  guilty  of — are  used  for  light  or  medium 
mouths.  Nos.  9,  10  and  11  are  three  varieties  of  Pelham 
bits,  the  two  first  the  Lipping  Hanoverian  and  the  Lipping 
plain-mouth  respectively,  the  third  the  straight-cheeked 
Hanoverian.  The  Lipping  patterns,  both  used  with  one  rein 
only,  are  single-reined  curbs,  or  "  hard  and  sharps,"  the  port 
being  jointed  to  the  mouth-piece  and  the  cheeks  revolving 
on  the  butts  as  in  the  case  of  the  snaffle.  These  joints  and 
port  do  not  deaden  the  mouth  like  the  common  curb  bridle 
when  used  alone,  and,  on  the  whole,  these  bits  in  light 
hands  are  good  hack  bridles.  For  general  use,  always 
reserving  a  good  word  for  a  true  fashioned  Segundo,  I  am 
not  in  favour  of  single-reined  curbs.  No  bit  looks  better 
or  is  more  effective  than  No.  11,  the  straight-cheeked  Pelham, 
always  provided  the  hands  are  light.  For  hack-cantering 
the  modified  Hanoverian  Pelham,  is  sufficiently  powerful  for 


I50  HORSEMANSHIP. 


most  purposes,  and  I  never  met  with  a  mouth  so  tender 
that,  would  not  face  it.  This  bit  is  a  compromise  between 
the  snaffle  and  curb,  with  elongated  leg-branches  and  a. 
ring  at  the  ends  of  the  butts  or  mouth-piece  for  the  second 
rein ;  to  the  top-eye  of  the  cheek  the  curb  is  affixed.  The 
mouth-piece  should  have  a  low  port  with  plain  mouth — 
no  rollers,  olives,  twists,  etc.  The  cheek,  which  is  con- 
structed to  turn,  should,  in  my  opinion,  be  straight,  as  look- 
ing more  workmanlike.  That  some,  ladies  especially,  prefer 
what  are  termed  the  Ladies'  Hanoverian,  the  Ladies'  re- 
versed Hanoverian,  the  Pad  Check,  and  Snoko-Pelhams, 
is  a  mere  matter  of  taste.  This  variety  of  bit  is  too  little 
understood  and  too  seldom  in  use.  A  well-trained  horse 
ridden  in  a  bridle  of  this  description,  in  the  hands  of  an 
expert,  will,  with  the  mere  pressure  of  the  leg,  and  the 
unspellable  "  klk,"  at  once  break  from  a  walk  or  trot  into 
the  canter.  It  is,  as  will  be  seen  on  examination,  no 
more  encumbrance  in  a  horse's  mouth  than  the  snaffle,  with 
this  advantage,  that,  by  taking  up  the  lower  rein,  it  is  a 
mild  or  strong  curb  bit.  This  double-reined  Pelham  has 
another  great  advantage  over  either  of  the  Lipping  patterns, 
that  it  does  not  require  such  fine  sensitive  hands.  It  has 
been  objected  to  Pelhams  that  they  make  horses  go  heavy 
in  hand,  but  the  fault  lies  with  the  rider,  not  with  the  bit. 
The  Bentinck,  No.  12,  is  a  device  of  the  wicked  to  bruise 
and  injure  the  horse's  palate.  No.  13,  the  Stockton  bit, 
is  a  combination  of  the  snaffle  mouth-piece,  the  revolving 
branches  of  the  Segundo  with  a  little  slide,  and  the  double 
rein  of  the  straight-cheeked  Pelham — a  useful  bit.  In  the 
Chifney,  No.  14,  the  curb-chain  is  attached  to  the  perma- 
nent hook  on  the  cheek  of  the  bit,  forged  on  to  it,  the 
head-stall  of  the  bridle  going  on  to  the  eye  of  the  loose 
cheek.     The  leverage  so  obtained,  especially  if  the  chain  be 


BITS  AXD  BITTING. 


151 


of  angular  links  and  the  horse's  chin  sharp  and  thin-skinned, 
is  enormous. 


CArXATN   KERR's    MODEL   PATENT   BIT. 

Of  gag-snaffles  there  are  several,  but  I  shall  only  mention 
that  invented  by  Mr.  Sydney  Galvayne,  for  which  he  claims 
that   it   completely  subjugates  runaways,  either  under  the 


152 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


saddle  or  in  harness,  can  stop  the  horse  in  its  own  length, 
and  can  v/ith  safety  steady  a  rusher  at  his  fences. 

I  venture  to  submit  the  claims  of  an  invention  of  my  own, 
which,  when  used  in  conjunction  with  a  nose-band,  will  be 
found  to  exercise  control  in  combination  with  comfort.  It 
is  a  combination  of  the  double-jointed  snaffle,  the  Pelham, 
and  the  Segundo  port.  The  lightest  snaffle  bridle  horse 
goes  handsomely  in  it,  finding  in  the  port  a  liberty  or  har- 


CAPTAIN   KERR  S   MODEL   TATENT   BIT  FOR   RUNAWAYS. 


hour  for  his  tongue ;  he  cannot  insert  his  tongue  between 
the  cannons  of  the  mouth-piece  and  the  bars  of  his  jaw,  and 
if  the  mouth  be  over  sensitive,  the  round  smooth  cannons 
are  encased  in  white,  tasteless,  rubber.  Should  a  confirmed 
bolter  get  the  leg  between  his  teeth,  the  action  of  the  joints 
is  such  that  it  is  at  once  wrenched  from  his  hold.  The 
snaffle  can  be  mild  or  severe  at  the  rider's  pleasure.  In  the 
case  of  habitual  runaways  I  make  "assurance  doubly  sure" 
by  adding  a  fast,  loose,  sliding,  or  roller  loop  on  to  the  butt, 
as  may  be  deemed  best.     A  nose-band  which  may,  in  ex- 


SADDLERY.  153 


treme  cases,  be  lined  with  curb  chain,  as  is  customary  in 
Arabia,  passes  through  these  loops,  the  rein  attached  to  it 
going  direct,  or  crossed  under  the  chin  if.  extra  pressure 
be  desired,  into  the  rider's  hands. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

SADDLERY. 

My  impression  is  that  every  horse  should  have  his  own 
saddle,  and  that  it  should  be  as  carefully  fitted  on  him  as  the 
glove  or  boot  of  a  dame  of  fashion.  There  are  as  many 
peculiarities  of  make  and  shape  in  horses'  backs  and  withers, 
and  in  the  placement  of  the  shoulder  blades,  as  in  the 
formation  of  ladies'  hands  and  feet.  Of  late  years  con- 
siderable improvements  have  been  made  in  the  structure  of 
the  trees,  the  ventilation,  panneling  and  workmanship  of 
both  cross  and  side-saddles.  There  is  a  fashion  in  saddlery 
as  in  everything  else. 

The  engravings  following  represent  improved  ventilating 
saddles  manufactured  by  Messrs.  Champion  and  Wilton. 
That  weighing  5 lbs,,  and  therefore  too  small  for  general 
purposes,  being  built  especially  for  polo,  combines  all  that 
can  be  sought  for  in  a  first  class  saddle,  viz.  perfect  cut 
and  style,  extreme  neatness,  with  the  best  of  materials,  all 
carefully  hand- sewn  by  permanent  workmen,  and  complete 
ventilation ;  also  it  affords  a  close  grip,  giving  the  rider  a 
secure  and  easy  seat.  The  larger,  full-sized  one,  is  an  ex- 
cellent type  of  an  ordinary  riding-saddle  stuffed  in  front  of 
the  knees.     In  comparison  with  the  clumsy  shoddy  products 


154 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


of  provincial  bunglers,  these  masterpieces  of  the  saddler's 
art  are  as  St.  James's  to  St.  Giles's,  as  a  thoroughbred  to  a 
V^  coster's  moke." 

It  is  the  worst  possible  economy  to  go  to  a  cheap  shop 
for  saddlery,  or  indeed  for  any  gear  connected  with  saddlery. 
In  these  days  of  rapid  tanning  it  is  most  difficult  to  get 


good  sound  wearing  leather,  and  it  is  only  the  leading  firms 
that  supply  this  material.  The  reader  must  not  be  led  away 
by  tempting  advertisements  of  clearance  sales,  of  large  pur- 
chases of  bankrupt  or  only  slightly  soiled  salvage  stock,  all, 
of  course,  by  unnamed  first-rate  makers,  in  which  saddles  are 
offered  at  alarming  sacrifices  and  at  vmheard  of  low  prices. 


SADDLERY. 


155 


Such  rubbish  would  be  dear  at  ^^5  the  baker's  dozen.  An 
enormous  quantity  of  machine-sewn  saddlery  is  manufactured 
for  the  colonies  and  export,  a  little  of  it,  by  firms  of  good 
standing,  is  good,  but  a  great  deal  is  inferior,  and  the  bulk 
good  for  nothing.  This  too  is  to  be  avoided.  A  good  price 
must  be  paid  for  a  superior  article,  such  as  will  look  well, 
wear  well,  and  give  satisfaction  to  man  and  horse. 

As  it  is  convenient  to  be  acquainted  with  the  different 
component  parts  of  a  saddle,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the 
illustrations,  i, 
is  the  head  or 
pommel ;  2,  the 
twist;  3, the  skirt; 
4,  the  seat ;  5, 
the  cantle ;  d, 
the  flap ;  7,  the 
knee-roll ;  8,  the 
front  and  back 
facings  of  the 
pannel ;  9,  the 
gullet;  10,  the 
pannel. 

Polo  -  players 
insist  upon  hav- 
ing the  light  51b.  saddles,  though,  roomy  as  the  one  illustrated 
is,  I  fail  to  see  with  what  object,  unless  it  be  that  they  look 
neat.  Be  your  weight  light  or  welter,  never  order  a  small 
saddle  for  road,  park,  or  hunting-field.  A  roomy  saddle,  in 
which  the  rider  can  sit  with  ease  and  comfort,  one  which  the 
moment  he  is  mounted  gives  him  the  proper  grip,  is  also 
beneficial  to  the  horse,  because  it  spreads  the  weight  he  has 
to  carry  over  a  larger  surface,  the  pressure  per  square  inch 
being  thereby  diminished.     In  the  case  of  a  light  weight. 


k6 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


except  on  the  flat,  a  pound  or  two  is  neither  here  nor 
there,  but  a  heavy  man  in  a  small  saddle  will  cut  the 
horse's  back  to  pieces.  Pressure  from  a  too  small  or  ill- 
fitting  saddle  will  not  only  produce  sore  back,  but  obstinate 

abscess,  and  ultimate  fistula 
of  the  withers.  In  too  short 
a  tree  a  tall  man  must  sit 
so  far  back  on  the  cantle 
as  to  bring  it  down  on  the 
ridge  of  the  back,  the  sur- 
face of  the  skin  is  abraded, 
a  warble  or  sitfast  is  formed, 
and  an  operation  necessi- 
tated. Sixteen  inches  from 
cantle  to  pommel  is,  I 
consider,  a  small  size  for 
general  purposes,  for  small 
or  medium-sized  men,  but 
no  heavy  or  tall  horseman  should  ride  in  anything  less  than 
eighteen  inches. 

No  doubt  a  quantity  of  stuffing  in  front  of  the  knees  acts 
as  a  sort  of  cobbler's-wax  in  retaining  certain  indifferent 
horsemen  and  old  gentlemen  in  the  saddle.  A  very  little 
stuffing,  to  an  extent  hardly  perceptible,  may  be  permitted, 
but  the  plain  flap  is  now  in  almost  universal  use.  In  making 
a  sudden  stumble  or  blunder,  or  in  landing  over  a  big  and 
especially  a  drop  leap,  the  rider,  without  losing  his  seat,  may 
be  projected  forward  two  or  three  inches,  and  in  the  absence 
of  stuffing  at  the  knees  he  glides  or  slips  forward  without 
any  strain  or  inconvenience  the  required  distance ;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  if  the  knees  be  arrested  by  the  padding  the 
muscles  of  the  thigh  are  often  so  severely  strained  as  to  in- 
capacitate the  rider  or  to  force  him  to  ride  for  weeks  in  a 


POLO-SADDLE.) 


SADDLERY.  157 


bandage.  The  plain  flap  is  cheaper  than  the  stuffed  one, 
looks  more  workmanlike,  wears  longer,  after  a  wet  day  dries 
more  quickly,  and  is  much  the  more  pleasant  of  the  two  to 
ride  on.  When,  in  the  case  of  a  tall  and  especially  of  a  light- 
legged  man  knee  stuffing  is  patronized,  he  should  order  his 
saddler  to  carry  the  knee  roll  well  down  to  the  lower  portion 
of  the  saddle  flap.  It  stands  to  reason  that  the  knee  and 
shin  of  a  six-footer  must  come  much  lower  down  on  the  flap 
than  those  of  a  dumpy. 

^Messrs.  Champion  and  Wilton  have  recently  applied  the 
principle  of  cutting  away  the  front  part  of  the  Tree,  which 
has  proved  so  successful  to  their  side  saddles.  The  new 
pattern,  called  the  "  Lane  Fox,"  after  the  veteran  master  of 
the'^Bramham  Moor  Fox  Hounds,  gives  the  rider,  as  nearly 
as  possible,  a  flat  seat,  adds  greatly  to  his  comfort,  renders 
sore  withers  impossible,  and  adds  to  the  appearance. 

The  same  firm  fit  their  patent  safety-bar  to  any  saddles. 
That  well-known  authority  who  writes  under  the  pseudonym, 
"  Brooksby,"  speaking  of  this  invaluable  invention,  the  out- 
come of  long  and  close  attention  to  the  difficult  problem, 
says,  "  I  have  at  various  tim.es  tested  nearly  every  description 
of  invention  in  this  line,  and  up  till  now  with  the  result  that 
I  threw  away  each  in  turn,  preferring  the  risk  of  being  hung 
up  to  the  liability  of  finding  myself  stirrupless  at  least  after 
every  fall,  and  often  without  a  fall  at  all.  The  stirrups  would 
come  away  when  I  was  fiot  to  be  dragged ;  and  on  three 
different  occasions,  in  my  search  for  safety,  I  found  myself 
called  upon  to  enjoy  to  the  full  the  luxury  of  riding  a  whole 
run  with  a  single  stirrup — in  each  instance,  too,  upon  a  horse 
that  was  only  too  ready  to  utilize  the  opportunity.  Messrs. 
Champion  and  Wilton  have  spent  five  years  in  attempting  to 
overcome  the  difficulty ;  and  as  I  have  fully  tested  and  dis- 
carded their  earlier  shortcomings,  as  well  as  those  of  other 


158  BOkSEMA^SHIP. 

inventors  in  this  direction,  I  am  happy  to  be  in  a  position 
now  to  say  that  I  consider  they  have  at  length  arrived  at 
exactly  what  is  required.  Their  patent  bar  will  release  a 
rider  in  any  direction,  when  caught  by  either  the  stirrup  or  its 
strap,  but  so  long  as  he  is  in  the  saddle  (or  within  several 
inches  of  it)  the  action  of  the  bar  is  rendered  impossible  by 
means  of  a  small  lever  in  the  upper  saddle-flap,  the  stirrups 
will  only  come  out  in  case  of  a  fall,  and  even  then  not  by 
their  own  weight.  The  Fates  gave  me  very  recently  the  oppor- 
tunity of  experimenting  much  too  closely  on  the  working  of 
the  safety-bar  in  question,  with  the  result  that  I  untwisted 
my  stirrup  leather  from  my  bent  spur  and  refitted  it  to  the 
saddle  with  a  very  strong  sense  of  gratitude  to  Messrs. 
Champion  and  Wilton."  To  this  I  add  that  it  is  not  in 
the  hunting-field  alone  that  the  rider  is  liable  to  be  thrown. 
The  stirrups  most  generally  in  use  are  the  solid  bottom, 
the  Melton,  the  two-barred,  the  three-barred,  the  wide  and 
narrow  oval,  and  the  solid  bottom  with  Foljambe  or  Prussian 
sides.  The  selection  is  a  mere  matter  of  fancy.  Many  advo- 
cate the  open-barred  varieties  as  presenting  less  surface  of 
metal  to  the  sole,  and,  therefore,  in  winter,  not  striking  so  cold 
to  the  foot.  Some  prefer  broad  bottoms,  others  those  narrow 
in  the  tread,  and  the  majority  like  a  heavy  iron  as,  on  the  foot 
being  thrown  out  of  the  stirrup,  a  weighty  one  more  readily 
swings  back  to  it.  Personally  speaking,  I  prefer  a  light  stirrup, 
but  then  I  ride  with  a  comparatively  thin  sole  to  my  boot, 
one  that  will  bend  slightly.  I  like  to  be  able  to  feel  my 
stirrup  even  when  not  bearing  on  it,  and  am  convinced  that 
a  strong  unyielding  sole  predisposes  to  loss  of  stirrups. 
There  is  one  important  point  connected  with  the  make  of 
stirrups  which  the  reader  should  bear  in  mind^  and  that  is 
the  construction  of  the  eye,  which  should  be  flat,  parallel 
to  the  bottom  (barrel-eyed)  so  that  the  leather  bears  evenly. 


SADDLERY.  1^9 


If  cut  in  a  segment  of  a  circle,  the  leather,  accommodating 
itself  to  the  curvature,  assumes  that  shape,  and  is,  there- 
fore, difficult  to  alter  in  a  hurry,  and  liable  to  give  way  at 
this  point.  For  wear,  the  skin  side  of  the  leather  should  be 
outwards.     The  leather  buckles  should  be  double-barred. 

Stirrup-irons  should  invariably  be  of  the  best  wrought 
steel,  and,  like  bits,  only  purchased  from  first-rate  makers. 
Messrs.  Latchford  have  been  established  since  1700,  and  are 
the  senior  wranglers  and  double-firsts  of  the  loriners. 

Though  perhaps  not  quite  so  neat  and  natty,  the  girth 
known  as  the  Fitz-William  is  preferable  to  the  two  narrow 
ones  generally  used  outside  the  hunting  field.  This  arrange- 
ment is  composed  of  one  double  width  of  web  with  two 
buckles  at  each  end,  and  of  a  narrow  one,  encircling  and 
secured  to  the  broad  one  by  two  loops  or  keepers,  through 
which  it  passes.  By  this  alteration  perfect  safety  is  obtained, 
for  ifall  four  buckles  of  the  broad  girth  be  carried  away,  the 
narrow  one  still  retains  the  saddle  in  its  place  and  prevents 
the  released  girth  from  dangling.  In  the  event  of  the  straps 
or  buckles  of  the  narrow  girth  being  broken  it  cannot  danglfe 
either,  being  kept  in  its  position  by  the  loops.  The  extra 
cost  is  only  five  shillings — money  well  laid  out. 

The  crupper,  though  now  seldom  seen  outside  the  ranks  of 
the  army,  or  in  harness^will  be  found  useful  for  low  shouldered 
ponies,  with  which  the  saddle  will  persist  in  coming  too  far 
forward  and  interfering  with  the  action  of  the  shoulders, 
and,  in  addition,  causing  the  animal  to  stumble.  Unless  the 
reader  goes  to  ^Ir.  Chris.  Wilson,  of  Rigmaden  Park,  Kirkby 
Lonsdale,  Westmoreland,  he  will  find  it  difficult  to  find  a 
pony  with  good  riding  shoulders.  The  crupper,  to  be  of  any 
use,  and  still  not  to  interfere  with  the  liberty  of  the  wearer, 
should  admit  of  one,  or  two  fingers  at  most,  being  run  under 
the  strap.     Mr.  Galvayne  advertises  a  crupper  which  retains 


i6o  HORSEMANSHIP. 


its  shape  and  prevents  or  cures  soreness  of  the  dock  caused 
by  chafing.     Colt  breakers  should  take  a  note  of  this. 

Though  not  at  present  touching  on  hunting  or  steeple- 
chasing,  I  may  mention  that  there  are  certain  "  herring- 
gutted"  horses,  i.e.  horses  light  in  the  back  ribs,  that  cannot 
be  ridden  up  an  acclivity  without  what  is  termed  "  running 
through  their  girths."  The  deep  brisket  and  tapering  cone- 
shaped  middlepiece  cause  the  saddle  to  slip  back.  To  keep 
it,  as  much  as  possible,  in  its  proper  place,  the  breast-plate 
is  used,  and  is,  more  frequently  than  not,  buckled  on  so  tight 
as  to  cramp  the  horse's  action.  Horses  of  this  "  tucked  up  " 
conformation  should  not  be  too  tightly  girthed.  The  saddle 
must  be  allowed  sufficient  play  to  regain  its  proper  position. 
The  object  of  the  breast-plate  is  to  keep  the  saddle  from 
slipping  too  far  back  along  the  waspish  carcase,  and  as  the 
strain  on  it,  and  consequent  pressure  on  the  horse's  shoulders, 
is  frequently  very  great,  even  to  breaking,  it  should  be  stuffed 
and  stitched. 

The  ills  that  horse-flesh  is  heir  to  are  legion,  but  of  the 
whole  too  extensive  range  none  is  so  thoroughly  annoying 
as  a  sore  back ;  the  mischief  is  invariably  traced  to  badly 
fitting  trees.  Although  a  very  large  percentage  of  properly 
constructed  saddles  will  fit  well  bred  horses  in  good  con- 
dition, in  order  to  effectually  prevent  sore  backs,  the  horses 
liable  to  this  equine  complaint  should  be  measured,  and  the 
woodwork  of  the  tree  modelled  to  the  back.  If  this  be 
done,  a  numnah,  placed  under  the  saddle,  and  the  girths 
kept  fairly  tight,  then  a  sore  back  becomes  an  impossibility. 
The  "  humanity  "  sponge-lined  numnah,  invented  by  Messrs. 
Champion  and  Wilton,  are  strongly  to  be  recommended. 
Careful  fitting  and  adjustment  of  the  saddle  undoubtedly 
reduces  friction,  and,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  does  away 
with  its  baneful  effects ;  but  with  some  high-bred  horses 


SADDLERY.  i6£ 


the  skin  of  the  back  is  so  easily  irritated,  that  it  will  in- 
variably become  chafed  under  a  long  day's  work,  and 
injury  be  inflicted  either  at  the  withers  or  underneath  the 
seat  of  the  saddle.  The  peculiar  feature  of  this  excellent 
preventative  and  curative  saddle-cloth,  is  in  the  adaptation 
of  the  firmer  kind  of  Turkey  sponge,  the  soft  nature  of 
which  suggested  itself  to  the  inventors  as  an  agent  for 
counteracting:  the  friction  of  the  saddle.  This  invention 
keeps  the  most  tender-skinned  horse  in  a  position  to  work 
in  comfort.  It  is  made  in  two  varieties ;  either  of  bridle 
leather,  lined  at  the  withers  with  fine  natural  Turkey  sponge, 
thus  interposing  a  soft  pad  between  the  saddle  and  the 
withers ;  or  of  white  felt,  lined  at  the  back  as  well  as  the 
withers  with  the  same  sponge,  and  intended  for  such 
horses  as  are  apt  to  become  troubled  under  the  seat,  as 
well  as  at  the  withers. 

We  now^  come  to  bridles,  and  there  is  a  fashion  in  these 
as  in  everything  else.  Some  ladies  patronize  bits  with  orna- 
mental cheeks,  stitched  nose-bands,  fly-flappers  over  the 
horse's  nose,  throat  latches  with  loose  appendages  dangling 
below  the  horse's  jaw,  round  reins  and  other  oidr'e  incon- 
gruities. Now  the  only  bit  of  ornamentation  I  can  sanction 
about  a  well-appointed  horse  is  a  coloured  brow-band,  or  front. 
On  a  rich  dark  brown  I  must  confess  to  a  liking  for  a  bit  of 
rich  orange  silk  ribbon  on  the  forehead  band,  it  gives  life  to 
the  countenance.  Many  ladies  sport  their  favourite  racing 
colours,  and  all,  if  not  too  loud,  light  up  the  horse's  head, 
especially  if  it  be  a  lean,  clean-cut,  blood  one  of  the  Arab  type. 
All  the  rest,  as  in  the  general  "  get-up,"  should  be  as  plain 
and  quiet  as  possible.  The  reins  must  be  pliable  and  fine  in 
grain  as  a  kid  glove,  and,  like  the  bridle,  stitched  on  to  the 
bit.  A  groom  who  cannot  clean  and  burnish  a  bit  without 
soiling  the  reins  has  mistaken  his  calling.     A  multiplicity  of 


i62  HORSEMANSHIP. 


buckles  and  billets  are  unsightly  and  needless,  but  I  prefer 
a  buckle  on  each  side  of  the  throat-latch  as  doing  away  with 
that  long  end  so  often  seen  dangling  down.  When  riding 
with  the  double  bridle,  the  tyro  is  recommended,  the  horse 
being  light-mouthed,  to  tie  the  bit  rein  evenly  in  a  knot, 
dropping  it  on  his  neck.  There  is  nothing  "muffish"  in 
this,  for  some  of  the  best  and  most  experienced  horsemen, 
when  riding  high-couraged  horses,  ride  only  on  the  bridoon 
or  snaffle  (the  difference  between  the  bridoon,  and  snaffle 
is  that  the  former  has  no  cheek)  the  bit  being  handy  to 
take  up  if  needed.  Grooms  are  apt  to  run  the  ends  of 
the  bridle  head-stall  too  far  through  the  loops,  and  so  leave 
an  unsightly  surplus  of  loose  leather.  Another  mistake  these 
men  are  constantly  making  is  to  buckle  the  throat-lash,  or 
latch,  too  tight.  Nothing  looks  worse  unless  it  be  to  let  it 
hang  loose  below  the  lower  bend  of  the  jaw.  It  should  be 
just  tight  enough  to  prevent  the  bridle  coming  off  over  the 
ears.  Many  a  horse  is  maddened  by  the  agony  inflicted  by 
a  too  sharp  and  severe  curb-chain.  The  reader's  attention  is 
respectfully  directed  to  the  chapter  on  the  Segundo  system 
of  bitting.  A  runaway  horse  has  been  known  to  pull  up  of 
his  own  accord  on  the  curb  parting.  Where  a  horse  has 
a  thin,  fleshless,  sharp-edged  lower  jaw,  a  leather  strap, 
buckskin  for  choice,  which,  pipe-clayed,  looks  clean  and  neat, 
should  be  placed  under  the  curb-chain,  by  which  simple  ad- 
dition much  pain  is  avoided  without  sacrifice  of  leverage 
on  the  cheek  of  the  curb  and  chain. 

The  standing  or  head  martingale,  is  an  arrangement  that 
can  only  be  used  in  hacking  and  driving,  and  is  both  safe 
and  serviceable  in  the  case  of  an  awkward  brute  that  insists 
on  getting  his  head  up  and  star-gazing. 

A  great  improvement  on  the  running-rein  martingale,  isan 
attachment  to  the  stirrup  bars  of  the  saddle,  invented  last 


SADDLERY.  163 


year  by  Mr.  J.  McKenny,  the  well-known  veterinary  surgeon 
of  Dublin.  It  is  claimed  for  the  patent  that  (i)  it  gives 
perfect  control  to  the  rider  over  the  horse,  be  he  badly 
broken,  a  hard  puller,  or  ill-tempered ;  (2)  it  minimizes  the 
danger  of  being  thrown,  either  by  the  horse  rearing,  plunging, 
or  shying;  (3)  simplicity  in  construction,  and  ease  with 
which  it  is  attached  to  and  detached  from  the  saddle.  The- 
diagram  given  below  explains  the  structure  and  adjustment 
of  the  attachment,  a  pair  of  which  costs  ten  shillings. 

AB  is  a  thin  steel  plate  made  to  overlap  and  slide  on  to 
the  stirrup-bar  of  the  saddle.  CD,  another  steel  plate,  flat 
at  the  end  C,  and  riveted  on  to  B,  to  which  it  gives  a 
shoulder.     At   the  other  end,  D,  of  this  plate  is  a  crank 


neck  with  an  eye-hole  in  it,  through  which  passes  the  ringE. 
The  neck,  D,  projects  outwards  at  an  angle  of  about  40°, 
and  attached  to  it  is  a  stitched  round  leather  strap,  F,  con- 
necting it  with  the  ring  G,  through  which  the  rein,  coming 
from  the  cheek  ring  of  bridoon,  passes  into  the  rider's  hands. 
It  is  advisable  to  have  that  part  of  the  rein  which  plays 
through  this  ring  rounded.  The  mode  of  adjustment  is  to 
slip  the  flat  side,  C,  under  the  stirrup  bars,  so  that  the  rings 
come  to  the  front,  with  the  bent  portion  of  the  cranks  out- 
ward, and  pass  the  unbuckled  ends  of  the  rein  through  the 
rings  G.  If  more  power  be  required,  an  extra  long  rein  can 
be  buckled  to  the  rings  E,  passed  through  the  cheek-ring  of 
the  bridoon,  and  brought  back  into  the  rider's  hands  through 
the  rings  G.     Or,  in  the  case  of  the  horse  carrying  his  head 


i64  HORSEMAXSHIP. 


too  low,  the  reins  may,  in  similar  manner,  be  attached  to 
the  bottom  eyes  of  the  bit. 

Without  admitting  that  this  attachment  can  effect  all  its 
sanguine  inventor  claims  for  it,  I  think  that  the  arrange- 
ment is  one  of  decided  merit.  In  the  hands  of  a  good 
horseman  it  can  with  ease  control  an  unruly  horse,  and 
by  its  use,  an  inferior  rider  acquires  efficiency.  The  rings 
do  not  interfere  with  the  direct  pull  on  the  horse's  mouth 
when  the  riders  hands  are  kept  low  and  the  horse  goes 
with  his  head  in  its  proper  position,  but  immediately  the 
position  of  the  hands  or  head  are  altered,  the  rings  become 
self-acting,  and  the  rider's  command  over  the  animal  vastly 
increased.  For  instance,  when  a  horse  suddenly  takes 
it  into  his  head  to  shy,  bolt,  plunge,  buck-jump,  or  kick, 
pleasantries  for  which  the  rider  is  quite  unprepared,  he,  by 
the  sudden  and  unexpected  jerk  is  thrown  out  of  balance, 
sidewards,  upwards,  or  backwards.  Be  the  list  to  port  or 
starboard,  or  in  any  other  direction,  the  attachment  comes 
instantaneously  and  automatically  into  play,  administers  a 
severe  chop  to  the  bit,  equivalent  in  force  to  the  impetus 
given  to  the  rider,  while  at  the  same  time  it  enables  the 
rider  to  retain  his  seat.  This  self-inflicted  punishment  is  an 
effectual  deterrent  against  a  repetition  of  these  pranks. 

The  effect  on  a  horse  kicking  is  admirably  demonstrated 
by  the  artist  (see  page  123)  :  the  wicked  little  cob's  head  is 
drawn  into  such  a  position  that  his  kicking  is  confined  to 
mere  lifting.  In  the  illustration  of  the  horse  rearing  (see 
page  119),  the  rider  is  in  comparative  comfort  without  much 
danger  of  the  brute  falling  back  on  him.  When  a  horse 
rears,  the  rider  often  loses  his  balance.  I  have  seen  many 
a  one  slip  quietly  down  over  the  tail  and  land  on  his  feet 
or  in  an  undignified  sitting  posture.  In  his  anxiety  to  save 
himself  he  irresistibly  pulls  on  the  reins,  and  in  so  doing  his 


SADDLERY. 


hands  get  into  such  a  position  that  the  horse  must  topple, 
over.  Now,  by  McKenny's  system  the  rider  has  only  to  stick 
to  the  ring  rein  to  maintain  his  seat  undisturbed,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  to  exert  a  downward  pressure  on  the  bars  of  the 
mouth.  This  attachment,  ifi  good  ha?tds,  will  be  found  of 
great  service  in  breaking  young  horses  and  in  getting  their 
heads  well  into  the  counter.     On  the  whole  I  consider  it  a 


WITH  ATTACHMENT. 


meritorious  addition  to  our  list  of  efficient  riding  requisites, 
and  it  is  equally  effective,  with  a  special  attachment  on  the 
off  side,  on  the  side  as  on  the  cross  saddle. 

The  ring-martingale  is  another  appliance  aiming  at  keep- 
ing a  horse's  head  down,  and  is  more  commonly  used  in 
racing  than  elsewhere.  When  leaping,  the  tyro  should 
never  attempt  to  ride  in  one,  for  it  requires  to  be  used  with 
nice  judgment,  and  the  rein  passing  through  its  rings  either 
dropped  or  "eased-off"  when  the  animal  is  gathering  him- 
self for  his  effort,  to  be  taken  up  again  the  moment  he  is 


i66 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


landed  once  more  on  the  ground  and  is  in  his  stride.  The 
stitching  of  the  reins  to  the  bit  has  aheady  been  recom- 
mended, but,  when  they  are  buckled  on,  the  buckles  should 
be  guarded  by  a  sliding  piece  of  leather,  longer  than  the 
diameter  of  the  martingale  ring,  to  prevent  the  rings  sliding 
down  on  to  the  buckles  and  catching.  ]Many  very  serious 
accidents  have  been  caused  by  the  neglect  of  this  pre- 
caution ;   the  ring  remains  fixed  in  the  buckle,  the  horse 


WITHOUT   ATTACHMENT. 


finds  his  head  imprisoned  in  a  one-sided  manner — for  it  is 
seldom  that  both  rings  get  caught — loses  control  over  \{\m- 
self,  and  gallops  into  the  first  ditch,  upsetting  both  himself 
and  his  rider. 

A  noseband  exercises  a  marvellous  effect  on  some  head- 
strong pullers.  A  very  hard-mouthed,  excitable  ex-steeple- 
chaser I  used  to  ride  with  the  Pytchley,  though   almost 


COSTUME. 


167 


frantic  when  ridden  in  a  Melton  bit  and  bridoon,  and  out 
of  all  control  with  snaffle  alone,  in  a  big  field,  unless  allowed 
to  go  abreast  of  the  leading  hounds,  a  proceeding  Captain 
Anstruther  Thomson  did  not  quite  approve  of,  would  go 
comfortably  and  collectedly  in  pretty  Hght  nose-band  and 
plain  thick  snaffle.  Some  violent  horses  go  very  temperately 
in  the  Kerr  model  bit  (see  page  151),  when  used  in  connection 
with  a  tightish  nose-band. 


BOLTED ! 


CHAPTER  IX. 

HINTS    ON    COSTUME. 

A  GENTLEMAN  ncced  not,  to  ride  well  and  to  look  well  out- 
side his  horse,  descend  to  the  dress  of  a  stableman.  In 
Rotten  Row,  when  the  ride  is  crowded,  no  man  with  any 


J  68  HORSEMANSHIP, 


pretention  to  taste  appears  in  breeches  and  boots,  or  in 
breeches  and  leggings,  though  these  nether  garments  are 
quite  allowable  in  the  country.  In  the  park,  well  cut 
riding  trousers  are  essential,  and  in  wearing  them  the  stirrups 
should  always  be  longer  than  when  riding  in  breeches.  Few, 
very  few,  tailors  can  build  a  pair  of  riding  trousers  well,  so 
that  they  shall  fit  well  up  into  the  fork,  and  lie  faultlessly 
over  the  boot  without  the  slightest  drag  from  the  strap.  My 
idea  is  that  a  horseman  can  generally  be  told  by  the  cut 
of  his  breeches.  A  workman  who  is  much  in  the  saddle 
always  insists  on  comfort  combined  with  fit.  He  goes  to 
men  who  understand  their  business,  and  who  only  supply 
the  best  of  materials. 

I  can  tell  breeches  turned  out  by  such  ''  top  sawyers  "  as 
E.  Tautz  and  Son,  of  485,  Oxford  Street ;  Whiting,  of  South 
Molton  Street,  and  others  of  their  calibre,  in  a  moment  from 
the  clumsy  pyjamas  of  the  ordinary  tailor.  These  firms  are 
careful  that  they  should  be  nice  and  full  in  the  thigh,  fit 
to  the  knee  as  if  moulded  on  that  joint,  and  that — a  very 
important  point — the  knee  buttons  be  well  in  front  and  per- 
fectly true.  Great  care  is  taken  in  giving  exact  and  sufficient 
length,  in  keeping  the  inside  seam  of  the  leg  straight  and 
the  outside  seam  full  The  materials  most  in  vogue  for 
home  wear  are  leather,  i.e.,  buck  or  doeskin,  Venetian  cloth, 
Bedford  cord,  Prussian  twill,  buckskin  cloth,  velvet  cord, 
either  white  or  drab,  moleskin,  drill  and  cantoon.  For  India 
and  the  colonies  there  are  special  materials,  such  as  thin 
doeskin,  kharki,  and  various  twills.  For  every-day  wear 
during  the  winter  I  prefer  a  mouse-coloured  or  grey  very  soft 
buckskin,  substituting  a  doeskin  of  the  same  sad  hue  in  the 
summer.  These  latter  I  especially  commend  to  my  friends 
in  India. 

Without  suitable  drawers,  however,  leathers  of  all  sorts  in 


HINTS   OX  BUYING.  169 


cold,  wet  weather  sooner  or  later  are  apt  to  produce  the 
pains  and  aches  of  Caliban,  with  various  ills  that  flesh  is 
heir  to.  These  firms  give  particular  attention  to  the  make 
of  these  very  necessary  under-garments.  They  are  of  all 
the  various  stockinette  materials  in  wool,  cotton,  or,  pre- 
ferably, of  silk,  and  are  made  to  fit  every  part  of  the  leg 
accurately,  so  as  avoid  the  possibility  of  wrinkles,  and  are 
fitted  with  a  riding  band  of  corded  linen  stiff  enough  to 
afford  support  to  the  loins.  This  band  is  a  great  comfort 
to  the  wearer,  yet  not  stiff  and  unyielding  like  stays. 
Breeches  or  knickerbocker  breeches  of  the  drab  velvet  cord 
always  look  well,  and  are  comfortable  wear.  A  Queensland 
colonist  strongly  recommends  Tautz's  twill.  It  matters  little 
whether  boots  or  leggings  are  worn.  Patent  leather  or 
brown  leather  Butcher-boots  look  well,  but  I  prefer  the  New- 
market ;  whatever  make  they  may  be,  the  reader  will  do  well, 
to  see  that  they  fit  close  without  pressure  at  the  top  where 
they  join  or  overlap  the  breeches,  and  that  there  is  sufficient 
room  in  the  foot.  Gloves  should  be  easy;  those  manu- 
factured by  Messrs.  T.  P.  Lee  and  Co.,  of  Duke  Street, 
Bloomsburv,  are  to  be  recommended. 


CHAPTER   X. 

HINTS    ON    BUYING. 

"What  is  the  cause  of  the  sudden  coolness  between  Tom  Jones  and 
Susie  Brown  ?  "     "  Tom  sold  her  father  a  horse." 

Ninety-nine  men  out  of  every  hundred  who  can  ride  or 
drive  a  horse  fairly  well,  consider  themselves  fully  competent 
to  purchase  him.     Now,  though  even  riding  and  driving 


170  HORSEMAXSHIP. 


him  moderately  well  is  not  an  accomplishment  vouchsafed 
to  or  attained  by  the  majority  of  horse-owners,  the  purchasing 
part  of  the  programme  is  by  far  the  most  difficult.  The 
advice  I  would  offer  the  majority  of  my  readers  is,  ^'-  Never 
buy  for  yourself  r  The  friend,  if  he  be  thoroughly  reliable 
— a  rara  avis  in  this  greedy,  clutching  world — may,  most 
probably  will,  by  his  superior  tact,  judgment,  and  experience, 
save  you  from  five-and-twenty  to  fifty  per  cent,  on  the  deal. 

Having  made  up  your  mind  to  ask  your  friend  to  "  find 
you  something,"  and  having  fully  explained  what  sort  of 
animal  you  want,  the  work  expected  from  the  quadruped, 
and  arranged  as  to  price,  give  him  carte  blanche  to  buy  out- 
right. Do  not  suppose  for  a  moment  that  such  a  man  will 
bother  himself  to  run  through  the  various  dealers'  stables,  to 
see  what  is  up  at  Tattersall's,  or  perhaps  train  it  into  the 
country,  merely  for  you  to  look  at,  find  fault  with,  and  re- 
ject. Speaking  for  myself,  I  would  any  day  sooner  buy  for 
a  downright  good  judge  than  for  a  know-nothing  who  rather 
fancies  himself,  and  is  above  taking  a  wrinkle  from  one  who 
has  forgotten  more,  perhaps,  than  he  ever  knew.  Somebody 
wrote  veiy  sagely  that  "pride  costs  us  more  than  hunger, 
thirst,  or  cold."  Xo  inexperienced  gentleman  can  cope 
with  the  tricksters  and  copers  of  the  trade,  and  should  he 
attempt  it,  will  assuredly  pay  heavily  for  his  folly. 

No  trusty  friend  available,  the  next  best  step,  provided 
money  be  no  particular  object,  is  to  go  to  some  dealer  of 
character  or  responsibility,  state  your  requirements  and 
figure,  and  place  yourself  unreservedly  in  his  hands.  If 
possible,  get  yourself  introduced  by  some  good  and  valued 
customer  whose  patronage  is  worth  retaining.  Men  of  this 
class  do  exist,  but  are  hard  to  find.  In  purchasing  from  a 
dealer  you  must  be  prepared  for  a  flood  of  eloquence,  to  be 
asked  a  price  long  beyond  the  horse's  intrinsic  value,  and 


HINTS  ON  BUYING,  171 

to  be  supplied  with  an  animal  fit  to  show,  but  not  fit  to  go. 
The  nagsman  who  will  ride  him  up  and  down  the  yard  is 
pretty  certain  to  be  an  artist  in  the  saddle,  one  who,  as  he 
gets  "  the  office,"  rides  either  to  sell  or  to  buy.  As  in  this 
case  the  object  is  to  effect  a  sale,  the  buyer  must  not  be 
disappointed  if  the  fine  goer  he  saw  at  ^Ir.  Topsawyer's 
marching  in  such  grand  form,  and  trotting  as  loftily  as  old 
Shales  himself,  on  changing  hands,  settle  down  into  a  very 
ordinary  performer.  If  satisfied,  he  should,  before  closing 
the  transaction,  endeavour  to  get  the  horse  on  trial  for  two 
or  three  days.  Many  dealers,  if  they  know  the  animal  they 
are  selling  to  be  a  genuine  article,  will  accede  to  this  arrange- 
ment. It  is  never  good  policy  to  let  the  animal  be  sent 
home  without  previous  examination  by  a  veterinary  surgeon. 
If  the  price  to  be  paid  be  a  high  one,  then  a  warranty  of 
soundness  should  be  exacted. 

If,  however,  the  intending  buyer  be  thrown  on  his  own 
resources,  then,  in  guarding  himself  and  his  pocket,  the 
following  hints  may  prove  of  value  : — 

Never  take  any  notice  of  those  advertisements  emanating 
from  persons  whose  names  are  not  in  the  directory,  calling 
attention  to  some  marvellous  specimen  of  horseflesh  fresh 
from  the  breeder's  hands,  a  weight-carrier,  brilliant  fencer, 
up  to  twenty  miles  an  hour  on  the  road,  carries  a  lady,  very 
handsome,  on  short  legs,  and  so  forth. 

Where  practicable,  it  is  advisable  to  buy  direct  from  tlie 
breeder  rather  than  the  dealer.  This  method,  however,  is 
attended  by  the  drawback  that,  as  breeders  like  to  realize 
as  soon  as  possible,  the  purchaser  may  have  to  content 
himself  with  a  young,  immature,  and  half-broken  colt  or  filly, 
of  an  age  when  many  "  go  roarers."  On  the  other  hand,  he 
may  be  pretty  sure  of  getting  something  fresh  and  sound. 

In  treating  with  the  ordinary  run  of  dealers,  sharpers  who 


HORSEMAXSHIP. 


make  trickery  their  trade,  the  purchaser  must  enter  their 
premises  with  the  seeds  of  suspicion  sprouting  freely  within 
him.  He  need  not,  by  his  manner  or  remarks,  show  any 
sign  of  want  of  faith,  only,  as  the  sailors  say,  let  him  "  Keep 
his  weather  eye  lifting."  It  is  impolitic  and  in  bad  taste  to 
say  or  do  anything  to  insult  the  fellow  who,  till  ruffled,  will 
probably  be  most  polite.  Should  any  unsoundness  or  any 
objectionable  fault  present  itself,  it  serves  no  purpose  to 
remark  on  it,  or  decry  the  man's  wares ;  better  far  let  the 
horse  be  rejected  with  the  simple  remark,  ^'  It's  not  exactly 
the  animal  I  want."  These  gentry,  when  they  see  there  is 
no  prospect  of  a  deal,  are  very  touchy  and,  as  a  rule,  are 
adepts  at  slanging.  In  the  event  of  the  horse  pleasing,  to 
express  one's  self  in  that  sense  means  an  addition  to  the 
contemplated  price.  The  Turks  have  a  saying,  *'He  that 
masters  his  tongue  saves  his  head  " — in  this  case  substitute 
"  purse  "  for  "  head."  Endeavour,  in  the  first  instance,  to 
see  the  horse  at  rest  in  his  stable.  Introduce  yourself  by 
saying  you  are  on  the  look  out  for  such  and  such  a  horse, 
and  express  your  desire  to  have  "a  look  round,"  otherwise 
the  astute  dealer,  on  learning  your  requirements,  will  at 
once  order  a  saddle  and  bridle  to  be  put  on  So-and-so. 
Should  this  look  round  be  declined,  rest  assured  that  there 
is  some  screw  loose  about  the  horse  it  is  intended  you 
should  see ;  it  is  pretty  certain  to  be  unsound,  ill-tempered, 
or  given  to  some  evil  habit. 

Having  gained  admission  to  the  stable  and  made  your 
selection,  watch  him  narrowly  and  quietly  as  he  stands.  You 
may  detect  him  in  the  act  of  crib-biting  or  wind-sucking ; 
he  may  stand  with  one  toe  of  the  fore-leg  pointed  or  ad- 
vanced, a  sure  sign  that  all  is  not  right  inside  the  wall  of 
that  hoof;  if  standing  so  that  almost  all  his  weight  is  thrown 
on  his  hind  feet,  in  which  position  they  will  be  placed  well 


HLVTS  ON  BUYING.  173 

under  him,  it  may  be  safely  concluded  that  both  fore  feet 
are  more  or  less  diseased ;  vice  versa,  if  the  hind  feet  are 
unsound,  he  will  throw  all  his  weight  on  his  fore  hand.  A 
leg  may  be  what  is  termed  "  knuckled  over,"  or  ''  used,"  i.e, 
flexed  at  the  fetlock  joint,  a  certain  indication  of  over-work. 
Constant  shifting  of  the  weight  from  one  leg  to  the  other  is 
another  sign  of  tender,  fevered  feet  and  of  general  soreness. 

Note  how  the  groom  goes  up  to  him  to  strip  him.  Many 
horses,  when  in  high  condition  and  doing  little  work,  will 
when  the  groom  approaches  them  lay  back  their  ears,  partially 
lift  a  leg,  and  make  a  grab  at  the  manger;  but  this  may  be 
mere  play  and  make-believe  devoid  of  real  vice.  If  the  horse 
be  vicious,  then  the  handling  of  the  groom  will  betray  the 
ugly  fact.  Instead  of  going  up  to  him  confidently,  he  will 
give  his  heel  a  wide  berth,  take  every  precaution  against  a 
pattern  being  taken  out  of  his  shirt  or  jacket,  and  will  be  on 
the  look  out  for  being  jammed  against  the  standings.  Any 
dodging  on  the  part  of  the  groom  is  indicative  of  vice  in 
some  form,  and  nervous  fear  on  that  of  the  horse,  a  certain 
sign  that  he  is  in  the  habit  of  receiving  punishment  for  it, 
or  that  the  man  is  a  savage.  Take  time  over  these  observa- 
tions, or  you  may  be  out  of  your  reckoning;  do  not  be 
"bluffed"  out  of  the  inspection,  or  hurried  over  it.  Any 
"  come  ups ! "  and  flicks  with  the  whip  are  attempts  to 
deceive.  Peep  into  his  manger  and  note  any  signs  of 
"quidding,"  z>.  partially  masticated  and  rejected  food. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  is  turned  in  his  stall,  be  on  the  look 
out  for  stiffness,  string-halt,  lameness,  and  uneven  action. 
It  is  difficult  to  keep  the  stableman  from  "  figging "  or 
"  spicing  "  the  horse  as  he  leaves  the  stall,  they  are  so  adroit 
at  it,  and  invariably  have  some  of  the  "  cocktail  "condiment, 
ready  for  immediate  use,  in  their  waistcoat  pockets.  It  is  a 
practice  I  very  much  object  to,  and  invariably  protest  against*  • 


:74  HORSEMANSHIP. 


So  far  all  being  satisfactory,  or  fairly  so,  stand  the  horse  on 
level  ground  up  against  a  dead  wall,  look  for  broken  knees, 
capped  hocks,  spavins,  thoroughpin,  splints,  scars  in  the 
inside  of  the  knees,  above  and  below,  produced  by  speedy 
cuts,  side  and  ring  bone,  thickening  of  back  sinews, 
difference  in  size  of  feet,  rings  round  the  walls  of  the  hoofs, 
converging  towards  the  heel,  sand  cracks,  etc.  Look 
carefully  at  the  back  part  of  the  fore  leg,  along  the  pasterns, 
and  above  the  fetlock  for  wounds  caused  by  the  operator's 
knife  in  unnerving. 

If  he  stands  well  and  true — many  perfectly  sound  horses, 
especially  those  that  have  been  in  harness,  or  often  and  long 
in  dealer's  hands,  are  taught  to  stand  in  a  straddling  position, 
like  a  cavalry  horse  in  India  at  his  pickets  in  the  lines — and 
his  general  conformation  be  pleasing  to  the  eye,  or  sufticiently 
so,  have  him  walked  and  trotted,  with  a  long  loose  rein 
giving  perfect  liberty  of  head  and  movement,  not  merely  past 
broadside  on,  but  to  and  from  you.  If  the  action  be  fair 
and  square,  free  from  dishing,  especially  that  form  known 
as  disJiing  in,  which  is  dangerous,  and  otherwise  true  and 
sprightly,  order  the  saddle  to  be  put  on. 

While  this  is  being  done,  have  a  look  at  his  withers  for 
fistula,  and  note  if  there  be  any  marks  on  the  throat  of  the 
crib-biting  strap.  It  may  be  remarked  en  passant,  that  a 
cribber  is  not  in  the  eyes  of  the  law  unsound  unless  the  vice 
has  militated  against  the  horse's  usefulness.  Crib-biting  and 
wind-sucking  are  two  forms  of  the  same  pernicious  habit. 
In  the  former  case  the  horse  lays  hold  of  the  manger  or 
other  object  with  his  incisors,  arches  his  neck,  and  draws 
in  air  with  a  peculiar  noise  ;  in  the  latter  he  presses  his  lips 
against  the  hard  object,  brings  his  feet  together,  and  then, 
arching  his  neck,  sucks  in  volumes  of  air  without  fixing  his 
teeth. 


HINTS  ON  BUYING.  175 

The  mounted  tests  should  be  on  hard  ground,  and  com- 
menced at  the  trot.  By  commencing  at  this  pace  any  hidden 
lameness  is  almost  certain  to  show  itself.  Make  the  rider 
turn  round  sharply,  then  have  him  galloped  to  test  his  wind. 
The  dealer  who  would  venture  to  show  a  broken-winded 
horse  must  be  an  idiot;  but  there  are  not  a  few  who  in 
order  to  get  to  the  windward  of  the  buyer  will,  in  the  case 
of  thick-winded  animals,  roarers,  grunters,  whistlers  or  pipers, 
try  on  what  is  known  as  the  "long  trot"  trick.  This  dodge 
is  executed  by  galloping  the  horse  at  some  distance  from 
and  out  of  ear-shot  of  the  purchaser,  easing  up  in  the  return 
journey,  so  that  the  stress  on  the  pipes  being  relieved,  the 
normal  breathing  is  resumed.  High  blowing  is  a  habit  of 
flapping  the  nostrils  in  and  out  of  the  nasal  openings,  and  is 
not  of  much  moment,  but  all  other  noises  are  disorders 
of  respiration  or  inspiration.  Most  roarers  grunt  and  cough. 
It  is  best  to  ride  the  horse  yourself  in  order  to  discover 
these  imperfections  in  breathing.  A  horse,  that  has  not 
a  good  wind  is  of  little  use  for  fast  and  severe  work,  though 
we  sometimes  find  magnificent  roarers,  such  as  Prince  Charlie 
and  the  expatriated  Ormonde.  Chronic  cough  asserts  itself 
in  the  stable  as  well  as  out  of  it,  and  is  generally  hoarse  and 
hollow.  If  in  London,  Hyde,  Regents,  or  Battersea  Parks 
will  aftbrd  ample  room  for  a  fair  trial;  in  the  country  there 
need  be  no  difticulty  on  the  score  of  elbow  room.  Ride 
him  from  the  stable  yard  to  the  park  at  as  smart  a  trot  as 
the  pavements  and  traffic  will  allow,  to  ascertain  if  he  is 
alarmed  at  vehicles.  In  the  ride  make  him  keep  company 
with  other  horses,  and  abruptly  turn  him  away  from  them 
in  an  opposite  direction ;  this  parting  company  will  try  his 
temper  and  exhibit  his  docility.  If  a  cross-grained,  stubborn, 
wilful  nature  he  will  try  to  get  his  own  way,  and  back,  kick, 
rear,  and  plunge ;  in  which  case,  the  sooner  he  goes  back 


1 76  ITORSEMA  NSHIP. 


whence  he  came  the  better.  If  he  shies  have  nothing  to 
do  with  him ;  it  is  a  dangerous  vice,  the  outcome  of  defec- 
tive vision  or  nervousness.  A  sudden,  abrupt  shy  has  a 
strong  unseating  tendency. 

When  the  purchaser  has  satisfied  himself  as  fully  as  above 
recommended,  he  should,  having  arranged  the  price  at  some- 
thing like  thirty  per  cent,  below  that  asked,  call  in  his  own 
veterinary  surgeon  for  a  crucial  examination  of  the  eyes, 
feet,  and  mouth.  It  will  be  this  practitioner's  duty  to  point 
out  what  unsoundness,  if  any,  exists,  and  to  give  his  opinion 
as  to  the  extent,  present  and  future,  to  which  it  may  militate 
from  the  horse's  usefulness.  Horses  are  "  kittle  cattle,"  and 
the  ''tricks  of  the  trade"  many  and  clever.  Despite  every 
precaution  there  must  always  be  an  element  of  luck  and 
risk  attending  horse-dealing.  There  is  a  strong  tendency 
among  dealers  in  horseflesh  to  hold  back  a  something.  The 
veterinary  surgeon,  be  he  ever  so  clever  and  experienced,  is 
not  omniscient.  For  all  he  knows,  the  animal  may  be 
subject  to  megrims  or  staggers,  an  affection  fatal  to  a  horse's 
use  under  the  saddle ;  or  he  may  have  dust  or  stone  balls  in 
his  bowels,  and  so  suffer  from  frequent  attacks  of  colic  or 
gripes.  Tvlany  an  unsoundness,  bad  habits,  tricks,  and 
objectionable  features  only  crop  up  weeks  after  the  purchase 
has  been  completed. 

The  tyro  is  often  puzzled  in  his  endeavours  to  determine 
the  exact  cause  and  seat  of  lameness*  An  experienced 
judge,  with  his  practised  quick  eye,  will  be  able  to  locate  it 
almost  at  a  glance ;  but  he  learned  his  lesson,  very  probably 
paying  dearly  for  it,  and  so  must  the  novice.  The  following 
wrinkles  may  be  of  use.  The  lameness  of  a  fore  leg,  either 
near  or  off,  is  indicated  by  what  is  termed  "nodding"  of 
the  head,  and  is  very  much  on  all  fours  with  the  flinching 
gait  or  hobble  of  the  biped  when  his  poor  feet  are  sore  or ' 


HINTS  ON  BUYING.  177 


the  shoe  pinches.  When  the  lameness  is  seated  in  the  near 
fore  leg,  the  moment  the  foot  of  that  leg  comes  in  contact 
with  the  ground  the  horse  throws  up  his  head  and  raises  his 
near  shoulder  to  ease  the  weight  of  his  body  off  that  side, 
and,  transferring  the  centre  of  gravity  to  the  sound  side,  then 
drops  his  head.  Of  course,  this  transference  of  weight  is 
the  reverse  when  the  mischief  lies  in  the  off  leg.  When  both 
fore  feet  are  lame,  the  nodding  may  be  very  slight  or  totally 
absent ;  but  the  action  will  be  very  short  and  close  to  the 
ground,  and  the  poor  sufferer  will  go  as  tenderly  and  as 
cautiously  "  as  a  cat  on  the  ice."  In  hind-leg  lameness  the 
nodding  is  veiy  slight,  and,  as  in  the  case  of  the  fore  legs,  the 
quarter  on  the  same  side  as  the  tender  foot  is  correspondingly 
raised,  the  sound  leg  and  foot  being  brought  rapidly  under 
the  body  with  a  sort  of  catching  recovery,  the  latter  being 
hastily  brought  to  the  ground.  All  round  lameness  will  be 
accompanied  by  a  very  short,  cramped,  delicate  action. 

Under  ordinary  conditions,  lameness  may  generally  be 
traced  to  some  malady  or  defect  from  the  knee  or  hock 
downwards.  There  is  a  remarkable  sympathy  between  the 
digestive  organs  and  the  sensitive  structures  of  the  hoof,  and 
any  inflammatory  action  in  the  body  is  almost  certain  to  find 
its  way  to  the  laminae  of  the  feet.  Like  ourselves,  the 
horse  goes  suddenly  lame  from  rheumatism,  lumbago  and 
sciatica.  In  chronic  rheumatism  the  lameness  shifts  about 
day  by  day ;  lumbago  confines  itself  to  the  loins ;  but 
another  phase  of  a  similar  disorder  attacks  the  muscles 
and  fibrous  tissues  of  the  chest  and  shoulders,  producing, 
in  stable  parlance,  what  are  known  as  "chest  founder"  and 
''  shoulder  tied." 

Certain  copers  more  tricky  than  their  neighbours  resort  to 
such  petty  practices  known  as  "beaning"  or  "wedging,"  in 
order  to  disguise  lameness.    But  these  devilish,  knavish  tricks 

N 


I7S  HORSEMANSHIP. 


are  too  palpable  to  deceive  any  save  the  most  unwary. 
When  a  horse  is  lame  on  one  foot  the  sound  one  is  lamed 
by  inserting  a  piece  of  iron,  wood,  or  other  hard  material  be- 
tween the  shoe  and  the  sole  of  the  foot,  thus,  by  compelling 
the  poor  animal  to  distribute  his  weight  equally  on  both  poor 
feet,  to  stop  "nodding"  and  disguise  his  infirmity.  In  other 
cases  the  sound  foot  is  pared  right  down  to  the  sensible  sole. 
In  buying  from  an  acquaintance  or  from  any  private 
source,  if  the  purchaser's  name  and  credit  be  good,  there 
ought  to  be  no  difficulty  whatever  in  having  the  horse  sent 
on  trial  for  a  few  days.  A  well-known  authority  tenders 
the  following  sage  advice,  "  Never  purchase  a  horse  from  a 
friend ;  nor  from  a  litigious  man,  nor  a  petty  lawyer ;  nor 
from  one  who  cannot  pay  the  expenses  of  a  lawsuit."  The 
law  of  warranties  being  so  uncertain,  and  the  capacity  of 
fracturing  the  ninth  commandment  among  the  horse-deaHng 
fraternity  so  illimitable,  my  advice  is,  never  go  to  law  on 
a  horse  case  unless  you  have  a  fancy  for  squandering  your 
substance  on  those  harpies  who  thrive  on  ''litigious  terms, 
fat  contentions,  and  flowing  fees."  Better  far  "  make  your 
loss  "  than  get  into  the  law  courts.  When  a  dealer  demands 
payment  before  delivery,  in  the  face  of  good  references, 
then  be  more  than  ever  suspicious,  and  insist  on  a  trial. 
Never  return  a  horse  that  has  been  paid  for  until  the  price 
be  refunded ;  or,  mayhap,  you  may  lose  the  quadruped  and 
have  to  whistle  for  your  money  ;  and,  in  sending  him  back, 
state  plainly  the  cause  why.  If  you  have  made  up  your 
mind  not  to  keep  him,  and  have,  on  the  score  of  unsound- 
ness or  wrong  description,  valid  excuse  for  so  doing,  state 
plainly  where  the  fault  lies  and  stick  to  it. 

As  possession  is  nine  points  of  the  law,  delay  payment, 
if  possible,  until  the  horse  can  be  thoroughly  examined  and 
as  thoroughly  tried.     Some  horses,  odd  as  it  may  appear. 


HINTS  ON  BUYING. 


79 


develop  vice  when  they  get  into  a  strange  stable,  are  handled 
by  strange  grooms,  and  are  put  to  work  to  which  they  are 
itnaccustomed.  This  misbehaviour  wears  off,  however,  with 
the  novelty  of  the  situation  and  surroundings.  Equity  says, 
and  fairly  too,  that  no  vice  can  be  recognized  that  did  not 
exist  anterior  to  the  day  of  sale ;  so  if  the  animal  be  return- 
able let  him  be  sent  back  at  the  earUest  possible  date. 

I  can  remember  purchasing,  some  years  ago,  a  very  likely 
horse  from  a  well-known  West  End  dealer,  a  man  hard  of 
hearing,  but  quite  at  the  top  of  the  tree.  The  horse  was 
as  likely  a  one  to  carry  twelve  stone  to  hounds  as  was  ever 
foaled,  and  looked  good  enough  to  win  the  Grand  National. 
He  was  described  as  being  a  perfect  fencer,  and  one  likely 
to  win  a  big  steeple-chase.  I  hacked  him  all  the  autumn 
and  liked  him  immensely,  got  him  into  good  hard  con- 
dition, and  one  fine  November  day  met  the  Pytchley  on 
him  at  BadbyWood.  After  a  weary  bit  of  woodland  hunting 
a  fox  broke  cover,  and  I  thought  myself  in  for  "a  good 
thing."  My  blood  ran  faster  in  those  days  than  it  does 
now,  somehow  fences  seemed  smaller,  so  thought  I  to  my- 
self, '*  Now,  Charles  Payne,  where  you  go  to-day  there  go 
I  also."  But  I  didn't;  for  the  brute  had  no  more  idea  of 
jumping  than  a  cow  of  fly-fishing,  and  gave  me  four  con- 
secutive bad  falls,  the  last  of  which  brought  the  warning 
from  a  hard-riding  farmer,  ''  Governor,  if  you  persevere  with 
that  duffer,  my  word,  he'll  break  your  neck  ! "  Next  morn- 
ing saw  me  in  Piccadilly,  bellowing  down  a  certain  ear 
trumpet,  that  though  it  might  be  the  custom  to  load  up  the 
confiding  stranger  with  the  most  picturesque  and  admirable 
lies,  that  sort  of  thing  neither  suited  me  nor  my  pocket ; 
that  I  had  bought  and  paid  for  a  hunter,  and  a  hunter  I 
would  have.  That  afternoon,  accompanied  by  profuse 
apologies,    I   took  back   with  me  to   Weedon  one  of  the 


i8o  HORSE  MA  XSH IP. 


cleverest  little  horses  that  ever  faced  a  country,  and  a  winner 
of  the  Goodwood  Stakes ;  a  rare  galloper  and  jumper  that, 
at  the  end  of  the  season,  found  his  way  into  the  stables  of  a 
sporting  Lord  Chief  Justice  of  England. 

A  horse  bought  from  a  dealer  is  almost  invariably  in  big, 
flabby,  show  condition,  and,  if  put  immediately  to  strong  or 
even  moderately  long  work,  will  assuredly  "  go-all-to-pieces." 
He  must,  by  judicious  exercise  and  feeding,  be  brought  by 
degrees  into  working  condition.  When  not  in  trim  the  back 
is  soft  and  tender  and  requires  seasoning ;  this  gradual  con- 
ditioning is  especially  necessary  when  he  is  destined  to  carry 
a  side-saddle. 

No  docked  horses  are  allowed  in  the  army,  so  by  being 
docked,  the  sale  of  many  a  handsome,  showy,  charger-like 
animal  is  rendered  less  easy.  Intending  purchasers  can 
always  satisfy  themselves  as  to  this  operation  having  been 
performed  or  not  by  examining  the  dock.  In  its  natural 
state  the  hair  grows  thickly  at  the  point  or  end  of  the  tail, 
leaving  no  bare  bald  space,  whereas,  when  the  caudal  guillo- 
tine has  been  used,  the  circular  space  at  the  end  or  butt  is 
entirely  bare  of  hair.  There  can  be  no  possible  advantage 
in  docking  a  riding  horse. 

Some  very  good  horses  are  to  be  picked  up  at  auctions. 
At  the  end  of  the  London  season  many  of  the  best  hacks 
are  sent  up  to  Tattersall's  to  be  sold  without  reserve.  At 
this  and  other  first-class  repositories,  metropolitan  and  pro- 
vincial, the  horses  are  on  view  two  or  three  days  prior  to 
the  day  of  auction.  The  uninitiated  had  better  go  round 
the  stables  accompanied  by  some  good  judge.  It  is  not 
a  very  difficult  matter  to  find  out  some  of  the  antecedents 
and  particulars  of  the  animals  in  the  catalogue ;  the  sharp- 
sightedness  of  gold  is  proverbial,  and  the  universal  solvent 
may  here  be  used  with  advantage. 


(      iSi      ) 


CHAPTER    XL 

Shoeing. 

'■'  Xo  foot,  no  horse."     Arabian  maxim. 

I  do  not  propose  to  inflict  the  reader  with  a  long  and 
scientific  description  of  the  anatomy  and  functions  of 
the  horse's  foot — the  most  important  organ,  from  a  rider's 
point  of  view,  of  his  body.  Undoubtedly  the  usefulness  of 
the  domesticated  horse  is  mainly  due  to  the  strength, 
elasticity,  and  perfect  soundness  of  the  hoof;  the  feet^ 
therefore,  should  always  be  objects  of  particular  attention 
to  the  horseman.  We  daily  see  horses  lamed  and  crippled 
by  the  ignorance  and  crass  carelessness  of  shoeing-smiths, 
and  undoubtedly  navicular  disease,  a  predisposition  to  fevers 
in  the  feet,  and  contraction  are  much  more  in  evidence  than 
formerly.  A  close  study  of  the  horse's  foot  will  well  repay 
any  one  who  is  "  concerned  about  horses,"  and  to  those 
disposed  to  read  up  the  interesting  subject,  I  can  strongly 
recommend  Dr.  George  Fleming's  standard  work  on 
"Horse-shoes  and  Horse-shoeing,"  and  a  very  instruc- 
tive pamphlet  from  the  pen  of  Professor  G.  T.  Brown  on 
the  "  Structure  of  the  Horse's  Foot,  and  the  Principles  of 
Shoeing,"  reprinted  from  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricul- 
tural Society  of  England. 

In  order  to  clearly  explain  the  remarks  we  are  about 
to  make,  the  following  two  diagrams  of  the  structure  of  the 
horse's  hoof  are  necessary.  The  one  represents  the  sole, 
or  ground  surface,  of  the  foot,  the  other  the  horny  box  or 
"  horn-shoe,"   as  it   is   appropriately  termed.     In   Fig.    i, 


1 82 


HORSEMAXSHIP. 


which  depicts  the  forefoot,  it  will  be  observed  that  the 
outer  side,  measured  from  the  apex  of  the  frog  C,  is  some- 
what more  expanded  than  the  inner  side.  A  is  the  wall  of 
the  hoof,  the  white  line  conforming  to  its  periphery,  represent- 
ing the  junction  of  the  sole  D  with  the  wall.  The  long 
triangular  cushion  or  pad  C,  with  a  cleft  running  down  part 

of   its    length,   is    the 
frog.     The    inflections 


Fig.  2. 


of  the  wall  G  are  the 
bars.  E  is  the  toe, 
and  H  marks  the  heels, 
the  upper  portions  of 
which  are  distinguished 
as  the  bulbs. 

Fig.  No.  2  represents 
the  hoof  or  horny  box 
as  taken  off  by  the  aid 
of  heat,  or  by  soaking 
for  a  time  in  hot  water. 
E  is  the  toe,  G  the 
coronet.  The  shaded 
sloping    lines    running 


from  the  coronet  to  the 
sole  are  the  horny  laminae  composing  the  wall,  which  here 
represent  both  the  inside  and  outside  quarters.  x-\t  the 
back  of  the  hoof  are  the  heels  H.  The  convex  cushion 
rising  up  between  the  heels  and  projecting  itself  forward 
towards  the  centre  of  the  foot  is  the  upper  and  interior 
surface  of  the  horny  frog.     A  is  the  sole. 

The  reader  desirous  of  carefully  studying  the  beautifully 
designed  mechanism  of  the  horse's  foot,  should  obtain  from 
^Ir.  Ward,  of  Piccadilly,  his  namesake  in  AVigmore  Street, 
Cavendish  Square,  or  from  any  other  competent  naturalist, 


SHOEING. 


^83 


prepared  specimens  of  the  external  and  internal  structures 
of  this  marvellous  organ,  including  the  hoof  or  horny  box, 
a  section  through  the  centre  of  the  foot  from  toe  to 
heel,  and  a  preparation  of  the  internal  foot  with  the  hoof 
removed,  showing  the  horny  folds  of  the  membrane  and 
the  coronary  band.  With  these  before  him  he  will  soon 
grasp  the  subject,  and  be  enabled  to  dictate  intelligently 
how  his  horse  should  be  shod. 

When  a  horse  freshly  shod  returns  home  from  the  shoeing- 
smith's  forge,  the  sole  of  the  foot  presents  a  deeply  concave 


Fig.  2. 

dome-shaped  form,  the  frog  and  bars  have  been  neatly  cut 
away  and  trimmed,  the  outward  wall  or  crust,  from  the  clenches 
to  the  sole,  at  its  junction  with  the  shoe,  has  been  rasped 
and  smoothed,  and,  taken  as  a  whole,  the  newly  armoured 
foot,  as  a  specimen  of  neat  workmanship,  does  apparent 
credit  to  the  workman's  free  and  deft  handhng  of  rasp,  file, 
and  drawing  knife.  The  basis  of  the  art  of  good  and  correct 
shoeing  is  non-interference  with  and  the  preservation,  as 


i84  HORSEMANSHIP. 


much  as  possible,  of  the  natural  tread,  leaving  the  whole  of 
the  bottom  of  the  foot  to  take  its  natural  place  on  and  hold 
of  the  ground.     The  sole  is  slightly  concave  at  the  bottom, 
and  convex  above,  but  if  a  remove  has  not  taken  place  for 
some  weeks  the  surface  meeting  the  ground  will  be  found 
nearly  flat,  the  crust,  bars,  frog,  and  sole  being  all  in  one  plane. 
A  horse  that  has  never  walked  in  a  shoe  preserves  a  sHght 
dome-like   formation  of  sole,  though  nothing  approaching 
that    concavity    wrought    by   the    unsparing    use   of    the 
drawing-knife,  the   bars   and   frog   being   in   firm   contact 
with   the    ground.     Under   certain   circumstances    and   in 
very  dry  climates   many  horses  work  a   life-time  without 
shoes — the  Australian  race  without  plates  of  any  kind — 
but    in    this    humid   climate  of   ours   a   substantial   hoof 
armature   is  absolutely  necessary  with  a  large  majority  of 
all  classes  of  horses.     The  drift  of  the  operation  of  farriery 
ought  to  be   to   supply  additional  strength  to  the  foot  in 
order  to  render  it  capable  of  resisting  the  hardest  bodies 
and  of  sustaining  the  additional  weight  we  pile  upon  the 
horse's  back.     We  want  all  the  sustaining  strength  obtain- 
able in  the  walls,  so  the  modern  fashionable  shoeing-smith 
rasps  away  a  considerable  amount  of  its  thickness  to  make 
the  foot  fit  the  shoe,  in  lieu  of  the  shoe  fitting  the  foot. 
He  pares  away  till  the  sole  is  reduced  to  a  thinness  that  it 
yields  to  the  pressure  of  the  thumb.     That  triangular  mass 
of  soft  horn,  the  frog,  intended  by  nature  to  act,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  an  internal  mass  of  fatty  and  fibrous  tissue,  as  a 
cushion  to  prevent  concussion,  and  to  render  progression 
easy  and  springy,  is  so  neatly  cut  away  that  except  in  deep 
ground,    it   cannot   possibly   perform    its   functions.      The 
bars,  which,  as  they  attach   the  wall  of  the   hoof  to  the 
pedal  bone,  might  be  considered  of  first  importance  in  the 
structure,  are  also  subjected  to  this  insane  desire  of  making 


SHOEIXG.  185 


a  neat  job,  and  are  carved  away  and  weakened.  This  so 
called  "opening  out  of  the  heels"  is  imaginary  expansion, 
and  is  a  practice  which  cannot  be  too  strongly  condemned. 
The  hoof  horn's  province  is  to  protect  the  internal  sensitive 
structures,  so  the  farrier,  flying  in  the  face  of  nature,  sets 
to  work  and  denudes  them  of  it.  The  horse  is  made  to 
carry  and  haul  loads  for  which,  perhaps,  he  was  never 
intended,  and  is  forced  to  work  long  continuous  hours  on 
all  sorts  of  roads  and  pavements,  the  devices  of  man;  so  the 
shoer,  with  his  knife  and  rasp,  inflicts  on  him  an  unnatural 
and  tender  foot. 

Some  farriers  argue  that  the  surface  expansion  of  the 
foot,  caused  by  the  weight  of  horse  and  rider,  is  such  that 
the  concave  sole  assumes  the  form  of  a  plane  on  its  impact 
with  the  ground,  and  go  so  far  as  to  advocate  a  horizontal 
hinge  at  the  toe  of  the  shoe  to  admit  of  the  necessary  ex- 
pansion. With  reference  to  this  old,  very  general,  yet 
absurd  theory.  Professor  Brown  says,  "the  base  of  a  horse's 
foot  cannot  expand,  nor  the  sole  descend  to  any  extent 
without  tearing  the  inside  of  the  hoof  from  the  internal 
membrane  to  which  it  is  everywhere  closely  and  securely 
attached."  Dr.  Fleming  adds  the  weight  of  his  unquestion- 
able opinion  in  these  words  :  "  These  inflections  form  what 
horsemen  and  horse-shoers  term  the  '  bars,'  and  this  arrange- 
ment of  the  wall  round  the  wings  of  the  pedal  bone  is  one 
of  the  strongest  arguments  against  the  imaginary  expansion 
of  the  heels ;  because,  these  wings  being  inelastic,  it  is  evi- 
dent the  wall  would  be  torn  from  them,  or  the  living  tissue 
between  bone  and  wall  would  be  seriously  compressed  if 
the  hoof  alternately  widened  and  contracted  at  the  heels." 
That  the  hoof  yields  under  pressure  cannot  be  gainsaid,  but 
only  sufficiently  to  avoid  concussion.  The  sole  does  not 
descend  to  an  appreciable  extent. 


HORSEMAXSHIP. 


The  frog  is  intended  by  nature  to  retain  a  certain  amount 
of  moisture  to  keep  the  horn  above  it  soft  and  elastic,  to 
give  the  foot  a  firm  hold  of  the  ground,  and  so  prevent 
slipping,  to  protect  the  soles  from  injury  from  stones  and 
other  bruising  substances,  to  aid  in  supporting  the  weight, 
to  act  as  a  buffer  in  diminishing  concussion,  and  to  assist 
the  powerful  flexor  tendon  in  bending  the  foot.  When, 
therefore,  the  presumptuous  meddler  of  the  forge  keeps 
cutting  it  back,  and  it  is  kept,  so  to  speak,  "  out  of  work," 
it  becomes  shrivelled  and  soft,  in  many  instances  the  disease 
known  as  *' thrush"  sets  in,  and  the  foot  becomes  unsound. 
But  this  is  not  all.  Inside  the  hoof,  immediately  above  this 
horny  frog,  is  a  mass  of  fatty  fibrous  tissue,  an  elastic 
cushion,  known  as  the  "  plantar  cushion,"  which,  acting  in 
unison  with  the  frog,  prevents  jar,  and  aids  in  furnishing 
ease  and  elasticity  to  the  horse's  action.  When  the  horny 
frog  fails  to  meet  the  ground  the  "  plantar  cushion  "  cannot 
perform  its  functions,  and  so  the  whole  spring  is  taken  from 
the  ''  coronary  cushion  "  lying  in  the  upper  and  inner  surface 
of  the  wall  of  the  hoof,  close  to  where  hair  and  horn  meet. 
The  whole  cunningly  devised  elastic  apparatus  is  thrown 
out  of  gear,  an  undue  strain  is  thrown  on  this  uppermost 
coronary  arrangement,  ring-bone  frequently  being  the  con- 
sequence. When  one  part  of  the  apparatus  is  called  upon 
to  discharge  the  duties  of  three  it  must  suffer  from  the  un- 
natural strain. 

The  horse,  as  found  on  the  runs  of  Australia,  or  roaming 
at  large  on  the  prairies  or  veldt,  requires  no  care  of  his  feet, 
they  look  after  themselves  and  all  goes  well ;  the  horn, 
worn  by  the  attrition  of  the  ground  over  which  he  wanders, 
being  continuously  reproduced.  But  these  vast  natural 
pastures  do  not  cause  the  same  wear  and  tear  as  our 
metalled  roads  and  pavements.     Nothing,  when  sound  turf 


SHOEING.  187 


lias  to  be  galloped  over,  can  be  so  easy  to  the  horse  as  the 
foot  in  its  natural  state;  but  such  going  is  the  exception, 
not  the  rule.  It  seems  impossible,  under  the  present  cir- 
cumstances of  domesticated  equine  servitude,  to  do  away 
entirely  with  ''  the  unyielding  iron  rings,"  which  in  the  case 
of  worn  out  shoes  taken  from  the  feet  of  two  of  Messrs. 
Allsopp's  horses  weighed  twenty-three  pounds.  When  we 
consider  that  every  ounce  added  to  the  weight  of  the  foot 
necessitates  a  lifting  power  equivalent  to  four  hundred 
ounces  at  the  loins,  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  effect 
of  the  needless,  holding,  dragging,  w^ait-a-bit  clog,  resulting 
from  heavy  shoes.  Nature  intended  the  horse  to  walk, 
trot,  gallop,  and  jump  barefoot.  Lord  Pembroke,  who 
wrote  many  years  back,  said,  "the  shoes  in  England  at 
present,  that  are  contrived  wath  the  most  sense,  are  what 
they  call  plates,  for  the  racehorses  at  Newmarket.  I  do 
not  say  they  are  perfect,  but  they  are  nearer  the  truth  than 
any  others  I  know ;  but  they  are  not  substantial  enough  for 
common  use,  though  sufficiently  so  for  the  turf" 

In  the  face  of  the  great  improvements  lately  wrought  in 
the  manufacture  of  steel,  there  can  be  no  valid  reason  for 
weighting  our  horses  of  any  class  with  heavy,  clumsy  shoes. 
Some  few  feet,  by  their  particular  form  and  strength,  provided 
the  sole  be  never  pared  or  the  frogs  and  bars  interfered  with, 
are  enabled  to  resist  the  wear  and  tear  of  our  turnpike 
roads  and  streets,  and  the  harder  the  objects  to  which  the 
feet  are  exposed  the  more  obdurate  and  flinty  they  become ; 
but  the  plurality  must  needs  have  some  wearing  protection 
to  the  whole  or  part  of  the  wall,  which  is  the  real  con- 
tinuous weight-sustaining  surface. 

The  thickness  of  the  wall  varies  according  to  the  size  and 
breeding  of  the  animal,  and  the  treatment  it  has  been  sub- 
jected to.     It  will  be  found  thickest  and  strongest  in  the 


1 SS  HORSE  MA  XSHIP. 


fore  feet  towards  the  toe,  the  inner  side  or  quarter  being 
the  weaker,  and  usually  the  higher.  In  the  case  of  the 
hind  feet  the  quarters  are  the  strongest  points  of  the  crust. 
From  this  formation  of  the  fore  feet  it  is  evident  that  the 
toe  is  the  point  intended  to  and  best  constructed  to  with- 
stand constant  battering  and  friction.  The  fore  toes  of 
horses  working  without  shoes  or  enlarged  on  runs  are  in- 
variably much  worn,  especially  if  the  ground  be  hard.  It 
seems  appropriate,  therefore,  that  at  this  point,  above  all 
others,  the  foot  should  be  armed  so  as  to  minimise  the  wxar 
and  tear,  and  especially  so  in  that  it  offers  the  best  nail-hold. 
With  this  formation  in  view,  when  the  foot  is  of  good  flinty 
material  we  strongly  recommend  shoeing  with  ''tips,"  or 
at  the  most  three-quarter  shoes  on  the  Charlier  principle. 
The  Charlier  system,  though  it  has  many  detractors, 
appears  to  be  as  near  perfection  as  possible,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  it  comes  nearest  to  nature,  and  permits  the 
sole  of  the  foot  to  come  in  full  contact  with  the  ground. 
This  invention  consists  of  a  narrow  rim  of  pure  steel  let 
into  the  wall  of  the  foot  for  a  certain  space  round  the  toe 
and  quarters,  leaving  the  whole  of  the  bottom  of  the  foot 
in  its  natural  position  resting  on  whatever  surface  the 
ground  presents.  It  is  contended  by  some  that  the  paring 
aw^ay  of  the  wall,  in  order  to  form  the  channel  or  groove  for 
the  reception  of  the  shoe,  weakens  the  encasement  of  the 
foot,  but  seeing  that  such  a  material  as  steel,  carefully  and 
exactly  fitted,  is  substituted  for  horn  this  argument  falls  to 
the  ground.  The  rim  of  metal  protects  the  crust  from 
injury,  whilst  the  sole,  frogs,  and  bars  remain  in  an  unshod 
condition.     The  advantages  claimed  for  the  system  are  : — 

(i)  It  lessens  the  animal's  muscular  exertion,  rendering 
him  less  liable  to  tire. 

(2)  It  gives  great  security  for  travelling  over  the  most 


SHOEING.  189 


slippery  roads,  granite,  wood,  and  asphalte  pavements,  and 
in  frosty  weather,  no  roughing  being  necessary. 

(3)  It  is  the  only  shoe  which  gives  the  foot  the  natural 
support  of  the  crust,  sole,  bars,  and  frog,  which  latter,  in 
ordinary  shoeing,  are  invariably  cut  away. 

(4)  All  the  parts  of  this  essential  organ  being  brought  by 
its  use  to  perform  their  natural  functions,  they  are  kept  in 
a  healthy  state  of  expansion  and  development,  thereby  pre- 
venting corns,  sand-cracks,  contraction  of  the  heels,  mus- 
cular diseases,  tendency  to  hoof-bound,  and  numerous  other 
affections. 

(5)  The  hghtness  and  conformity  to  the  wall  of  the  foot 
(of  which  it  resembles  a  continuation)  make  it  the  most 
humane  method  for  the  animal. 

The  mode  of  application  will  best  be  ascertained  by  a 
visit  to  the  establishment  of  Mr.  Henry  W.  Stevens, 
M.R.C.V.S.L.,  9,  Park  Lane,  Piccadilly,  London.  The 
following  notes  may,  however,  explain  the  mode  of  appli- 
cation. The  only  instrument  differing  from  those  employed 
by  every  shoeing-smith  is  a  drawing-knife,  with  moveable 
guide  to  regulate  the  depth  of  the  groove.  The  nails  are 
the  ordinary  EngHsh  countersunk  pattern,  the  heads  flattened 
to  fit  the  groove  in  the  shoe.  Much  smaller  sizes  are  used 
than  with  ordinary  shoes. 

In  preparing  the  foot  to  receive  the  shoe  the  lower  edge 
of  the  hoof  is  boldly  but  evenly  rasped  off  at  an  angle, 
forming  thereby  a  sloping  surface  on  which  it  is  more  easy 
to  employ  the  drawing-knife. 

On  this  sloping  surface  the  drawing-knife  cuts  a  groove, 
as  depicted  in  the  following  wood-cut,  in  the  wall  or  crust 
for  the  reception  of  the  shoe.  A  properly  trained  smith  can 
so  cut  this  channel  that  it  shall  have  the  exact  room  for  the 
reception  of  the  shoe  and  can  insure  a  perfect  fit.     Care 


190 


HORSEMAXSHIP. 


must  be  taken,  especially  on  the  first  occasion  of  shoeing  on 
this  system,  that  the  groove  is  made  a  trifle  shallower  than- 
the  thickness  of  the  shoe.  The  web  of  the  shoe  also  must 
be  slightly  narrower  than  the  thickness  of  the  wall  of  the 
crust,  which  varies  from  half  an  inch  to  less,  stopping  short 
at  that  light  coloured  band  of  softer  horn  passing  round 

between  the  sole  and 
the  wall,  and  which 
marks  their  junction. 
?^Iy  firm  opinion  is 
that  no  part  of  the 
sole  of  the  foot 
should  be  in  con- 
tinuous contact  witli 
the  shoe,  its  natural 
slight  concavity  and 
elasticity  forbid  any 
such  permanent 
pressure.  Many  argue  to  the  contrary,  and  point  to  the 
flat  plate  of  the  Arab,  covering  and  bringing  equal  pres- 
sure to  bear  on  the  whole  of  the  ground  surface  of  the 
foot — in  fact,  a  thin  sheet  of  iron  interposed  between  the 
bottom  of  the  foot  and  the  ground — as  supporting  this  con- 
tention. But,  tough  and  sound  as  the  foot  of  the  Arab's 
horse,  I  decline,  save  in  respect  of  his  system  of  nailing,  to 
accept  the  Bedaween's  teaching.  The  foot,  when  prepared 
to  receive  the  shoe,  presents  the  appearance  given  below. 

The  necessary  form  is  given  to  the  shoe  that  it  may  exactly 
follow  the  outer  edge  of  the  hoof  as  far  as  the  beginning  of 
the  bars,  where  it  is  thinned  or  sloped  off  in  order  that  the 
heel  and  broadest  part  of  the  frog  may  come  well  on  to  the 
ground.  If  the  sole  be  strong  and  concave,  the  heels  high, 
and  the  crust  thick,  the  shoe  is  buried  entirely  in  the  channel 


SHOELVG, 


191 


SO  that  the  ground  rim  of  the  metal  is  level  with  the  horny 
sole.  If,  however,  these  desirable  conditions  be  not  present 
then  it  is  better,  at  first,  to  cut  the  channel  so  shallow  that 
half  the  thickness  of  the  shoe  protrudes  below  the  ground 
surface  of  the  foot. 
The  shoe  is  shorter 
than  the  foot  to  pre- 
vent the  possibility  of 
its  being  wrenched 
off. 

To  insure  a  perfect 
fit  and  level  bearing 
the  shoe  must,  in 
the  first  instance,  be 
placed  in  the  groove 
hot.    The  application 


of  a  hot  burning  shoe  is,  I  am  aware,  strongly  condemned 
by  many  whose  opinions  are  entitled  to  respect,  but  my 
experience  is  that,  provided  the  hot  metal  be  kept  in  con- 
tact with  the  horn  for  a  few  seconds  only,  no  more  harm  is 
done  than  by  the  process  of  singeing  to  the  horse's  coat  or 
to  the  human  hair.  And  here  a  word  of  warning  will  be  in 
place.  If  the  shoe  be  plunged  into  cold  water  and  cooled 
too  rapidly  when  hot,  the  nature  of  the  metal  is  changed ; 
it  becomes  brittle,  and  is  liable  to  fracture.  When  shoeing 
cold  a  small  rasp  may  be  used  to  secure  for  the  shoes  that 
perfectly  level  bearing  which  is  essential.  The  foot,  when 
shod,  presents  the  following  appearance,  the  diagram  No.  2 
representing  the  Charlier  tip. 

On  large,  flat,  platter-shaped  feet,  with  low  heels  and  high 
frogs,  it  is  necessary  to  put  on  shoes  thicker  at  the  quarters, 
allowing  them  to  come  down,  as  in  the  case  of  the  ordinary 
racing  plate,  below  the  surface  of  the  sole,  and  this  will  be 


192 


HORSEMAXSHIP. 


found  effective  in  the  case  of  convex-soled  or  "  foundered  " 
feet.     In  cases  where  the  heels  are  turned  in  and  predisposed 


to  corns  (bruises  of  the  sensitive  sole,  between  the  frog  and 
the  wall  on  the  inside  quarter  of  the  foot,  caused  by  too 


tight  shoeing  at  the  heels,  or  by  the  shoe  pressing  on  the 
horny  sole)  the  shoes  must  be  lighter  in  substance,  narrower 


SHOEING.  193 


in  web  at  the  heels,  and  well  sunk  into  the  groove  in  the 
wall.  On  feet  with  high  contracted  heels  and  weak  frogs, 
the  shoes  must  be  very  narrow  in  the  web,  and  sunk  fully 
into  the  groove.  When  adopting  the  Charlier  system  for 
the  first  time,  in  lieu  of  ordinary  shoeing,  it  is  advisable  to 
let  the  old  shoes  remain  on  for  some  time  so  as  to  be  well 
worn  down  ;  by  this  delay  the  sole  may  have  recovered  from 
the  smith's  paring  and  rasping,  and  has  regained  its  normal 
thickness  and  power  of  resistance  and  support.  The 
CharUer  shoe  may  be  modified,  like  all  other  shoes,  and 
is  suitable  for  every  degree  of  foot.  '*  In  a  well-formed 
limb  a  plummet  line  dropped  from  the  middle  of  the 
knee  should  fall  exactly  through  the  centre  of  the  toe " 
(Fleming). 

The  hind  hoof  is,  in  comparison  with  the  fore,  smaller,  and 
more  elongated,  has  a  more  perpendicular  steep  wall,  and 
its  sole  is  naturally  more  concave,  with  a  smaller  develop- 
ment of  frog.  Differing  from  the  front  foot,  the  quarters 
are  the  strongest  part  of  the  encasement  in  the  hind.  Feet 
are  of  all  shapes  and  sizes,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  meet 
with  front  feet  that  are  "  odd-sized,"  an  inequality  which 
does  not  predispose  to  unsoundness,  though  decidedly  un- 
sightly. Black  hoofs  are  generally  built  up  of  tougher 
material  than  white  ones,  and  are  seldom  so  low  in  the  heel. 
The  exterior  horn  of  the  wall  is  much  harder  than  the  inner 
crust,  and  should,  therefore,  never  be  rasped. 

A  great  deal  of  ingenuity  has  been  expended  in  endeavour- 
ing to  devise  some  method  of  attaching  the  shoe  to  the 
horse's  foot  by  which  nailing  may  be  done  away  with.  I 
was  sceptical  as  to  the  possibility  of  any  such  contrivance 
being  effective  till  my  attention  was  directed  to  what  is 
termed  the  "  Humane  "  shoe,  the  invention  of  Mr.  Benfield, 
a  practical  shoeing  smith  of  Walsall.     The  following  sketches 


194 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


will  aid  in  explaining  the  salient  points  of  the  clever  in- 
vention. 

The  materials  of  which  this  shoe  is  composed  are  the  best 
soft  steel  and  indiarubber.  Flat  pieces  of  steel  are  worked 
into  a  shell  of  the  ordinary  horse-shoe  shape,  by  means  of 
powerful  presses,  the  open  portion  of  the  shell  being  that 
touching  the  ground.  Out  of  the  top  surface  (B),  that  meet- 
ing the  wall  of  the  hoof,  are  punched  five  or  any  other 
number  of  clips  (C)  which,  when  the  shoe  is  finished,  serve 
by  means  of  two  small  claws  on  each,  to  attach  the  shoe  to 
the  foot.     Objection  having  been  taken  to  this  punching, 


as  tending  to  weaken  the  web  of  the  shoe,  this  process  has 
been  discontinued  and  another  still  more  effective  means  of 
furnishing  the  clips  devised.  Into  the  hollow  of  the  shell 
is  forced  a  pad  of  indiarubber,  the  pressure  being  so  great 
that  the  whole  becomes  practically  a  homogeneous  mass  of 
soft  steel  and  indiarubber,  the  pad  projecting  slightly  beyond 
the  ground  surface  of  the  shoe  so  as  to  minimise  concussion 
and  jar,  and  to  aid  the  frog  in  gripping  a  firm  foothold  on 
slipper}'  pavements.  As  the  shoe  can  be  bent  with  vice  and 
hammer  without  in  any  way  disturbing  the  pad,  there  is  no 
difficulty  in  fitting  the  shoe  to  any  foot,  a  strictly  level  bearing 


SHOEING.  195 


being  secured  by  means  of  the  rasp.  When  the  shoe  is  fitted, 
a  by  no  means  difficult  task  to  the  unskilled  shoer,  or  even 
to  the  amateur,  a  few  taps  of  the  hammer  bend  the  clips  on 
to  the  outward  surface  of  the  wall  of  the  hoof,  causing  the 
points  on  the  clips  to  enter  the 
horn  as  at  (C).     It  will  be  ob-  -^^^^ 

vious  that  by  this  arrangement 
the  natural  growth  is  not  inter- 
fered with  in  the  slightest  de- 
gree. The  metal  shoe  being 
a  mere  shell,  is  of  course  much 
lighter  than  the  ordinary  run  of 
soUd  shoe,  and,  as  the  pad  pre- 
vents slipping  of  the  foot  in  action,  the  wear  is  materially 
reduced,  both  points  of  highest  importance.  It  appears  to 
me  that  shoes  constructed  on  this  principle  and  fitted  in 
grooves  to  the  foot  on  the  Charlier  principle  have  very 
decided  claims  to  general  adoption.  In  the  case  of  brittle 
feet,  such  as  will  not  carry  a  nail,  they  cannot  fail  to  be  a 
boon.  Who  has  not  heard  of  the  "Peril  of  the  nail?'' 
At  first  I  was  sceptical  as  to  the  holding  power  of  the  claws 
when  tested  by  severe  and  continuous  work,  but  all  doubts 
on  this  head  have  been  set  at  rest  by  the  testimony  of 
medical  men  and  others  who  have  been  constantly  using 
them  during  the  past  severe  winter,  driving  their  horses 
in  them  over  hard  macadam,  granite,  and  wood  pavements, 
frozen  hard  and  smooth  as  ice,  as  well  as  over  stone  setts, 
without  slipping  or  working  loose.  Many  of  the  owners 
find  a  vast  improvement  in  their  horses'  feet. 

Some  feet  wear  quicker  and  grow  quicker  than  others, 
some  grow  more  sole  than  others.  As  a  rule,  shoes  ought  not 
to  be  left  on,  without  at  least  a  remove,  over  three  weeks. 
Horses  should,  as  a  rule,  be  re-shod  every  five  or  six  weeks. 


196  HORSEMANSHIP. 

The  following  few  rules  may  be  observed  with  advantage  : 

Stopping  the  feet  previous  to  a  horse  being  shod  or  re- 
moved is  unnecessary.  The  object  of  such  softening  of  the 
hoofs  is  to  enable  the  farrier  to  use  his  drawdng-knife  freely, 
which  implement,  if  used  at  all,  should  be  confined  to  paring 
away  jagged  parts  of  the  frogs  or  detached  flakes  of  the  sole. 

Ifa  horse  be  awkward  at  and  object  to  shoeing,  before 
resorting  to  Galvayning,  or  the  twitch,  let  him  be  bridled  and 
saddled  and  ridden  by  the  groom  w^ho  usually  exercises  him 
to  the  forge,  and  let  him  be  shod  wath  the  man  on  his  back. 
Many  horses  will  not  yield  their  feet  up  without  some  force. 
An  impromptu  and  effective  method  of  securing  the  hind  legs 
so  that  the  smith  can  work  with  safety,  is  to  put  on  an  old 
and  strong  cart  collar  with  hames.  Get  a  good  pliant  stirrup 
leather,  and  taking  two  turns  with  it  round  one  of  the  hind 
pasterns,  stop  it  with  a  piece  of  cord  or  spun  yam  close  to 
the  joint.  Then  buckle  it  in  front  so  as  to  form  a  loop.  To 
this  loop  attach  a  stout  smooth  twelve  foot  length  of  half- 
inch  rope,  or  better  still,  a  strong  strap.  Bring  the  rope 
of  strap  forward  between  the  fore  legs  through  the  bottom 
of  the  collar,  round  which  take  a  double  turn.  Haul 
steadily  on  this,  gathering  in  the  slack,  till  the  foot  to  be 
shod  is  raised  well  off  the  ground  and  brought  forward  in 
a  position  convenient  for  the  smith  to  work  on  it.  When 
in  position  secure  it  there  by  taking  a  turn  round  the  pastern 
with  another  stirrup  leather,  which  buckle  tight  over  the 
hamstring  some  inches  above  the  hock.  Care  must  be 
taken  that  the  horse  is  not  kept  too  long  in  this  constrained 
position,  or  he  may  fall  from  fatigue. 

When  the  shoe  is  being  removed  it  must  not  be  wrenched 
off.  See  that  the  clenches  are  first  turned  back  and  the 
shoe  only  just  sufficiently  released  from  the  foot  by  the 
pinchers  for  them  to  seize  the  heads  of  the  nails,  which 


SHOEING.  197 


must  be  withdrawn  one  at  a  time.  The  too  common 
method  is  to  draw  out  the  nails  on  one  side  only  and  then 
to  tear  the  shoe  from  the  foot  by  main  force,  frequently 
carrying  a  bit  of  hoof  with  it. 

Rasp  the  bottom  of  the  circular  walls  of  the  hoof  until 
a  perfectly  level  flat  surface  is  obtained.  On  no  account  let 
the  drawing-knife  touch  the  bars  or  returns  of  the  foot.  All 
that  has  to  be  done  is  to  reduce  the  foot  to  the  size  it  would 
have  been  if  not  guarded  from  attrition  by  the  rim  of  steel, 
and  that  can  best  be  effected  by  attrition — by  the  rasp. 
The  toe,  if  too  long,  must  be  reduced  from  below,  not  by 
vertical  chopping  or  shortening ;  the  line  of  outward  hoof 
or  wall  from  the  coronet  to  its  junction  with  the  shoe  must 
be  perfectly  straight.  The  shorter  the  horse's  toe  is  the  less 
likely  is  he  to  trip  or  to  bring  his  toe  on  the  ground  before 
the  heel. 

See  that  the  shoe  is  hammered  to  exactly  fit  the  foot,  not, 
as  usually  is  the  case,  the  foot  pared  and  rasped  to  fit  the 
shoe.  The  surface  of  the  shoe,  that  coming  in  contact  with 
the  foot,  must  be  perfectly  level. 

The  nail  holes  must  be  bevelled  throughout  the  whole 
thickness  of  the  shoe,  and  made  exactly  to  hold  the  nail 
heads,  so  that  they  may  retain  their  hold  to  the  very  last. 
When  the  nail  holes  are  cleared  with  the  pritchel  over  too 
large  an  opening,  the  shoe  is  liable  to  be  bent;  this,  on 
being  remedied  by  using  the  hammer,  very  frequently 
causes  an  imperceptible  fracture  in  the  shoe.  They  should 
be  cleared  over  as  small  an  aperture  as  possible. 

Only  chisel-pointed  and  bright  (not  rusty)  nails  should  be 
used.  They  should  be  driven  so  as  to  take  a  short  and 
wide  hold  of  the  crust,  and  should  come  out  within  half  an 
inch  of  the  shoe.  Being  driven  thus  at  an  angle  across  the 
fibres  of  the  wall,  they  retain  a  better  hold   than  those 


igS  HORSEMANSHIP. 


driven  in  as  far  as  possible  with  the  run  of  this  structure. 
Another  advantage  of  this  short  cross-naiUng  is  that  when 
the  shoe  is  taken  off,  the  holes  will  be  rasped  out,  and  the 
fresh  nails  will  have  sound  tough  horn  to  take  hold  of. 
Rusty  nails  drive  badly. 

The  fewer  the  nails  driven  into  the  foot  the  better,  and 
this  is  especially  the  case  with  the  forefoot.  If  farriers  are 
not  supervised,  they  will  drive  as  many  nails  round  the 
inside  quarter  as  the  outside.  By  the  examination  of  a 
freshly  removed  well-worn  shoe,  it  will  be  observed  that  the 
web  on  which  the  inside  quarter  has  been  resting,  shows 
signs  of  having  done  extra  duty ;  in  some  cases  a  cavity  will 
be  noticed,  the  result  of  extra  wear  and  tear  at  this  particular 
point ;  whereas  that  part  of  the  shoe  which  has  been  bear- 
ing the  outside  quarter  presents  comparatively  little  evidence 
of  friction.  The  extra  wear  at  this  part  of  the  wall  may 
be  accounted  for  in  two  ways  :  first,  that  it  is  more  under 
the  centre  of  gravity ;  secondly,  by  the  fact  that  the  shoeing 
smith  will  persist  in  leaving  the  inside  wall  higher  than  the 
outside,  throwing  the  limb  out  of  balance,  and  thereby 
causing  abnormal  strain  on  the  ligaments  of  the  joints, 
lameness,  and  premature  wearing  out.  In  British  cavalry 
six  nails  is  the  regulation  number,  but  five  are  sufficient, 
three  being  driven  round  the  outside  quarter,  and  two  on 
the  inside  from  the  toe.  As  the  quarters  are  the  thickest 
and  strongest  part  of  the  walls  of  the  hind  foot,  it  is  appro- 
priate that  they  should  carry  the  nails. 

When  the  nails,  which  should  exactly  fit  the  holes,  have 
been  driven,  a  slight  groove  or  notch  may  be  filed  out  in 
the  wall  of  the  hoof  immediately  below  the  point  at  w^hich 
the  nails  come  out,  in  which  to  clench  the  points.  Having 
twisted  off  the  points,  what  remains  must  be  turned  down 
and  in  with  the  hammer,  the  usual  polishing  up  with  rasp 
and  file  being  dispensed  with. 


SHOEING.  199 


Be  careful  that  the  shoe  does  not  project  beyond  the  wall 
and  vice  versa.  If  the  shoe  be  too  small,  it  must  be  opened 
by  the  smith,  or  a  larger  one  substituted.  On  no  account 
must  the  bottom  of  the  wall  be  rasped  down  to  make  it 
correspond  in  periphery  with  the  outside  rim  of  the  shoe. 

Calkings^  in  my  opinion,  are  analogous  with  high-heeled 
boots  and  shoes  so  fraught  with  injury  to  the  human  foot 
and  spine.  In  the  case  of  the  hunter,  however,  they  are 
advantageous  in  so  far  that  in  taking  off  from  slippery 
ground,  they  give  him  a  better  foothold  and  consequent 
purchase.  In  the  front  feet  they  are  not  to  be  thought  of, 
and  those  applied  to  the  hind  should  be  moderate  in  height, 
and  applied  to  the  outside  quarter  only. 

Tips,  to  which  in  describing  the  Charlier  system  I  have 
already  referred,  will  be  found  admirably  adapted  to  every 
description  of  work  when  the  frog  is  on  the  ground  and 
the  foot  in  its  normal  condition.  In  cases  where  the  heels 
are  contracted,  they  will  be  found  especially  useful.  They 
mus:  taper  off  in  thickness,  not  in  width  of  web,  towards 
the  ends,  and  as  in  the  case  of  the  Charlier  shoe,  a  groove 
should  be  cut  in  the  wall  of  the  hoof  to  receive  these  thin 
ends,  so  that  they  may  be  flush  with  the  posterior  portion 
of  the  ground  surface  of  the  hoof. 

Brushing,  Cutting,  or  Interfering,  whether  before  or 
behind,  is  not  only  annoying  in  that  it  produces  lameness, 
but  is  positively  dangerous.  This  faulty,  hitting  action  is 
caused  by  the  inside  quarter  of  the  hoof  brushing  or  striking 
the  ankle  of  the  opposite  leg.  At  first,  when  discovered, 
the  evil  must  be  mitigated  by  placing  an  india-rubber  ring, 
or  a  rounded  bit  of  leather  with  an  elastic  strap  or  joint, 
round  the  pastern,  which  acts  as  a  buffer  or  guard.  With- 
out some  such  protection,  a  deep  wound,  with  consequent 
inflammation    and    enlargement,   will    ensue.     Permanent 


2CX3  HORSEMANSHIP. 


remedy,  however,  must  be  sought  in  the  forge.  The 
farrier's  usual  practice  is  to  rasp  away  the  inside-quarter  of 
the  interfering  foot,  and  to  raise  it  by  placing  under  it  an 
extra,  to  double,  thickness  of  shoe.  He  thus  weakens  the 
already  not  too  >  thick  quarter,  and  elongates  the  toe. 
Temporary  benefit,  no  doubt,  results,  but  at  the  expense 
of  giving  the  horse  a  one-sided  tread,  and  of  wear  and  tear 
of  joints,  ligaments,  and  cartilage.  I  do  not  advocate  any 
such  treatment.  The  inside  quarter  must  have  the  full 
width  of  web  to  rest  and  bear  upon,  but  the  shoe  might 
advantageously  be  filed  oflf  at  an  angle,  rough  edges  at  its 
junction  with  the  horn  being  rasped  off.  A  strong  clip 
should  be  thrown  up  on  the  outside  quarter  to  prevent  any 
shifting  of  the  shoe  inwards,  and  so  obviate  the  necessity 
of  more  than  one  nail  on  the  inside,  and  that  well  forward. 
Shoeing  with  tips  has  been  found  to  effect  a  cure.  Horses 
addicted  to  this  defect  in  action  are  generally  pleasant 
straight  goers,  and  seldom  or  never  roll ;  it  is  worth  while, 
therefore,  to  remedy  the  evil,  which  is  a  consequence  of 
some  defective  formation.  It  is  less  dangerous  and  trouble- 
some behind  than  before.  The  American  trotter  is  especi- 
ally prone  to  this  interfering  gait,  so,  in  consequence,  our 
cousins  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic  are  ever  busy  in 
bringing  out  some  new  boot,  each  more  hideous  than  its 
predecessor. 

In  hard  frosty  weather,  when  snow  lies  on  the  ground, 
try  the  effect  of  no  shoes,  of  bare  hoofs. 

In  the  stable  the  horse  should  not  stand  any  part  of  the 
day  on  his  bedding.  His  foot  should  rest  on  hard,  dry, 
even  ground. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

SOME    RANDOM   WRINKLES. 
'"'  Full  of  wise  saws  and  modern  instances." 

Feeding. 

Pluck,  or  courage,  is  derived  from  breeding  ;  stre?igfli  is 
the  outcome  of  food  and  a  good  digestion. 

Regular  feeding  is  essential ;  long  fasts  weaken  the  diges- 
tive organs. 

The  horse's  digestion,  when  properly  carried  on,  is 
marvellously  rapid  and  effective,  therefore  he  should  have 
little  food  at  a  time.  He  does  not  ruminate  like  the  cow. 
Properly  speaking,  four  hours  is  the  outside  time  that  a 
horse  should  work  without  feeding,  though,  of  course, 
numerous  occasions  present  themselves  when  he  must  go 
foodless  for  much  longer  periods.  The  horse,  it  will  be 
noticed,  never  sleeps  long  together,  and  during  the  night 
is  frequently  up  and  feeding.  His  last  feed  at  night,  there- 
fore, should  be  the  largest  over  which  he  may  dwell.  After 
all  other  feeds  there  should  be  "  a  clean  manger." 

A  hard-w^orked  horse  should  have  every  facility  offered 
him  to  feed  during  the  night. 

Cooked  food  should  never  be  given  to  riding-horses, 
except  in  the  shape  of  an  occasional  mash.  It  is  swallowed 
rapidly,  little  or  no  insalivation  takes  place,  the  stomach  is 
distended  and  weakened,  and  colic  results.  Insalivation, 
or  the  secretion  of  saliva,  is  absolutely  necessary,  owing  to 
its  solvent  powders  by  which  the  masticated  food  is  chemi- 
cally altered  and  assimilated. 


202  HORSEMANSHIP. 


Under  ordinary  circumstances  the  best  mill  for  crushing 
dry  corn  is  the  horse's  teeth,  but  many  are  such  greedy, 
hurried  feeders  that  they  bolt  a  large  quantity  of  grain 
whole.  All  oats,  beans,  peas,  or  maize  should  be  given 
cracked  or  crushed,  mixed  with  fresh  chopped  or  cut  hay 
or  oat  straw,  so  as  to  ensure  thorough  mastication  and  the 
admixture  of  the  food  with  saliva. 

This  manger  system  of  feeding  requires  wide  and  deep 
mangers,  with  iron  cross-bars,  otherwise  much  corn  will  be 
wasted  by  the  horse's  throwing  out  the  corn  in  search  of 
'•  tit-bits."  No  more  oats  than  the  quantity  just  sufficient 
for  the  day's  use  should  be  bruised  at  a  time ;  for,  in  a 
crushed  state  they  are  liable  to  turn  sour>  are  refused,  and 
are  injurious.  All  oats,  before  being  bruised,  should  be 
carefully  sifted  to  get  rid  of  gravel,  grit,  and  dust. 

A  horse,  fifteen  to  fifteen  and  a  half  hands  high,  not  a 
greedy  feeder,  and  doing  ordinary  light  work,  or  merely 
exercise,  will  need  about  ten  pounds  of  oats  a  day  ;  this  is 
the  allowance  for  cavalry  horses,  and  they  have  to  get 
through  a  great  deal  more  of  heavy  and  prolonged  work 
than  is  generally  supposed.  But  oats^  by  custom  the  most 
generally  selected  staple  grain  food  of  the  horse,  are  not, 
when  the  wear  and  tear  of  muscular  power  are  excessive, 
the  most  suitable  diet  when  given  entirely  by  themselves. 
The  method  in  economizing  food,  and  in  obtaining  the 
best  results  from  the  varieties  at  our  disposal,  is  to  give  a 
mixture  in  which  due  consideration  is  given  in  apportion- 
ment of  each  ingredient,  having  regard  to  the  nutritious 
matter  contained  in  it,  and  the  amount  and  nature  of  the 
work  to  be  exacted  from  the  consumer.  Should  the  reader 
care  to  get  up  this  important  subject,  I  can  strongly  recom- 
mend the  perusal  of  an  able  and  compact  little  work, 
entitled  "  How  to  Feed  the  Horse,"  by  Mr.  George  Armi- 


FEEDING. 


203 


tage,  formerly  lecturer  in  Veterinary  Science  in  the  Albert 
and  Glasgow  Veterinary  Colleges. 

The  owner  or  stud-groom  (if  this  dignitary  be  trustworthy) 
should  keep  the  granary  door  under  lock  and  key.  The 
granary  floor  should  be  of  large  area  to  admit  of  constant 
turning  out  and  spreading.  Musty  oats  are  comparatively 
worthless  as  food,  and  frequently  cause  indigestion,  dia- 
betes, and  other  disorders.  The  corn-bin  should  not  be 
in  the  stable,  where  it  is  very  much  in  the  way ;  moreover, 
the  horses,  having  an  eye  on  it,  get  anxious  and  uneasy 
whenever  the  groom  goes  near  the  receptacle.  It  forms 
a  handy  seat  no  doubt,  but  if  a  seat  be  required  it  should 
be  one  of  the  sort  that  falls  down  flat  against  the  wall. 

If  happily  possessed  of  a  large  stud,  watch  the  markets 
and,  if  there  be  ample,  airy,  stowage  room,  take  advantage 
of  them  and  buy  for  ready  money. 

For  feeding  purposes  corn  should  be  quite  dry.  When 
purchasing  from  corn-chandlers  or  contractors  insist  upon 
guaranteed  weight  and  measure.  Good  oats  ought  to  weigh 
forty  pounds  a  bushel.  The  late  Mr.  Hannington,  of 
Brighton  and  Portslade,  once  showed  me  some  marvellously 
neat,  short,  and  almost  round  New  Zealand  oats  weighing 
forty-eight  pounds  to  the  bushel,  which  in  a  very  short 
space  of  time  wrought  wonders  on  a  couple  of  scarecrow 
two-year-olds  he  had  received  from  the  then  most  fashionable 
and  successful  training-stable  at  Newmarket.  Horses  are 
fed  by  measure,  not  by  weight.  Inferior  oats  have  a 
ponderance  of  husk  of  no  greater  feeding  value  than  straw. 
Good  Scotch  qualities  yield  much  less  of  husk  than  the 
foreign  varieties.  Some  persons  object  to  black  oats,  but 
except  that  they,  the  Tartarians  especially,  are  apt  to  be 
tally  I  find  them  to  be  quite  as  good  as  the  white,  and  fre- 
quently thinner  in  the  skin.     They  seldom  weigh  quite  so 


204  HORSEMAXSHIP. 


well  as  the  white  varieties.  Irish  oats  being  generally  kiln- 
dried  are,  therefore,  not  so  much  in  favour,  otherwise  those 
grown  on  the  extensive  lime-stone  central  plain  of  the 
island  are  excellent. 

New  oats  produce  flatulency.  Horses  fed  on  them  do 
not  stay  well.  Oats  for  fast,  hard  work  should  be  two 
years  old ;  after  that  age  they  begin  to  shrink. 

Beans ^  of  which  grooms  are  far  too  fond,  must  be  given 
with  great  caution,  and  seldom  or  never  to  young  horses, 
unless  called  upon  for  duty  on  the  racecourse,  for  steeple- 
chasing,  or  for  the  hunting-field.  Horses  doing  ordinary 
hack  work,  unless  very  old,  do  not  require  them,  and  great 
care  must  be  exercised  in  feeding  them  to  any  horse  un- 
accustomed to  this  powerful  tissue-forming  and  heat-pro- 
ducing food ;  otherwise  cracked  heels,  affections  of  the 
eyes,  acute  diseases  of  the  foot,  skin  diseases,  and  general 
predisposition  to  inflammatory  attacks  of  various  sorts  may 
be  caused.  New  beans  are  absolute  poison.  Those  im- 
ported from  Egypt  should  never  be  used,  being  full  of  the 
eggs  of  various  insects,  which  when  hatched  out  in  the 
horse's  stomach  produce  irritation,  loss  of  health,  condition, 
and  general  unthriftiness.  The  Lincolnshire  tic  is  the  best 
variety,  being  small,  thin  in  the  husk,  and  heavy  in  the 
kernel.  Whatever  variety  be  used  see  that  it  be  old,  dry, 
and  free  from  perforations  by  grubs.  They  should  be  split 
or  bruised,  not  ground,  and  if  given  immediately  before  a 
horse  starts  on  quick  work  are  pretty  certain  to  produce 
coUc. 

Horses  on  long  journeys  require  the  stimulus  of  beans ; 
those  that  have  been  accustomed  to  them  cannot  work 
without  them ;  they  are  decidedly  beneficial  in  the  case  of 
delicate  constitutioned  animals  that  pass  off  their  food 
rapidly,  and  to  old  horses  wanting,  as  most  do,  a  '■'  pick-me- 


FEEDING. 


205 


up."  Late  in  the  day  and  in  the  last  feed  at  night  is  the 
best  time  to  feed  beans. 

Peas  are  quite  as  nutritious  as  beans^  and  not  being  so 
constipating  may  be  used  with  greater  freedom.  Both 
beans  and  peas  may  be  considered  the  roast  beef,  Burton 
Stingo,  and  crusty  old  Port,  or  full-bodied  Burgundy,  of  the 
stable  menu. 

Barley  is  too  seldom  seen  inside  our  home  stables. 
The  Arabs  have  a  saying,  ''  Had  we  not  seen  that  horses 
come  from  horses,  we  should  have  said  that  it  is  barley  that 
produces  them."  All  the  great  feats  of  endurance  of  the 
untiring  steed  of  the  desert  are  performed  on  barley  and 
chopped  straw.  My  Eastern  experience  has  taught  me  to 
value  this  corn.  I  have  known  horses  thrive  on  barley  that 
went  "  all-to-pieces  "  on  oats,  probably  owing  to  the  former 
being  so  easy  of  digestion.  Given  dry,  in  moderation,  mixed 
with  oats,  it  suits  many  horses.  In  tropical  climates,  where 
horses  sweat  profusely,  and  so  carry  off,  through  the  pores 
of  the  skin,  its  heating  qualities,  barley  may,  in  some 
instances,  be  the  sole  corn  diet;  but  in  our  temperate  clime 
it  does  not  answer  unless  given  as  an  admixture.  I  have 
given  it,  bruised,  to  horses  with  weak  digestion,  and  to  those 
of  nervous  temperament,  with  most  satisfactory  results. 
Scalded,  it  suits  and  fattens  washy  nervous  horses,  and 
soaked  in  water  and  left  to  sprout  it  acts  as  an  elixir  on 
those  that  have  become  stale  and  worn  from  excessive  work. 
The  oldest  race-horse  I  ever  had  to  deal  with  was  an 
Arabian,  well  known  on  the  Bombay  side  of  India  as 
"Cronsdat."  His  last  race,  one  crowned  by  victory,  was 
the  Welter,  a  mile  and  half  over  the  Byculla  course.  I  fed 
this  game  old  campaigner  on  a  mixture  of  a  pulse  known  as 
gram  J  scalded  barley,  a  sprinkling  of  oats,  some  ground  nut^ 
and,  as  a  salad,  a  handful  or  two  of  lucerne  with  a  few 


2o6  HORSEMANSHIP. 


carrots.  To  win  such  a  race  at  the  age  of  twenty-two, 
towards  the  close  of  a  laborious  career,  carrying  eleven 
stone,  was  no  little  testimony  to  the  virtue  of  a  mixed  diet, 
in  which  barley  formed  the  main  element. 

Indian-corn  or  maize.  This  corn,  unless  mixed  with  beans 
or  peas,  is  of  little  use  where  horses  are  doing  fast  work. 
It  is  too  fattening  and,  as  it  imparts  an  unpleasant  smell  to 
horses  eating  it,  is  not  to  be  recommended.  Horses  fed  on 
maize  may  look  ''  full  of  flesh,"  but  it  is  not  solid  hard- 
working flesh  and  muscle,  but  "stall-fed"  blubber.  Those 
of  the  General  and  other  omnibus  companies  are  mainly 
fed  on  this  great  fat  or  heat-producer,  but  they  work  at  a 
slow  pace,  eased  by  frequent  stoppages. 

Bran.     When  not  given  indiscriminately,  bran,   in  the 
form  of  a  mash,  at  the  temperature  of  new  milk,  is  one  of 
the  safest,  most  natural,   and  acceptable  adjuncts  to  the 
horse's  diet.      Given  in  a  judicious  manner  it  acts  as  a 
laxative.      The   impression   with  many  is   that  it  is  non- 
nutritious,   whereas,    were   the   flesh-forming   principles   it 
contains  liberated  in  the  process  of  digestion,  it  would  be 
found  the  equal  of  either  oats  or  barley.      If  fresh  and 
perfectly  sweet,  nothing  is  more  grateful  to  the  horse  after 
a  severe  day  of  violent  muscular  exertion,  an  over-excite- 
ment of  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  and  debility  of  the 
whole  system,  caused  by  prolonged  effort  and  abstinence 
from   food.      Nothing,   in   short,   is   more   appetising   and 
soothing  when  suffering  from  languor  or  depression,  rest- 
lessness and  fever,  no  better  safeguard  against  inflammation 
of  the  lungs  and  stomach.     It  is  a  sedative  and  a  cooler  of 
the  whole  system.     A  bran  mash  given  for  two  days  before 
physic  prepares  the  horse  for  its  reception,  and,  if  the  aloes 
be  good,  prevents  griping.      The  usual  custom  is  to  give 
only  one  mash  twelve  hours  before  administering  the  ball, 


FEEDING.  207 


but  this  is  not  sufficient ;  it  should  be  continued  for  forty- 
eight  hours  to  have  its  laxative  effect,  some  corn,  bruised, 
being  mixed  with  it  on  the  first  day,  but  given  quite  plain 
on  the  last.  As  the  mash  is  invariably  bolted,  not  masti- 
cated, the  oats  must  be  crushed.  Some  horses  will  not 
touch  a  mash  unless  it  has  some  oats  sprinkled  on  the  top 
or  mixed  through  it.  A  horse  well  prepared  with  mashes 
requires  fewer  drachms  of  the  aloes,  h.  very  common 
practice  with  some  lazy  grooms  is  to  leave  the  bran  mash 
for  days  before  the  animal.  The  mixture  should  invariably 
be  given  fresh  as  prepared,  for  if  allowed  to  stand  it  fer- 
ments, fouls  the  woodwork  of  the  manger  or  bucket,  and 
nauseates  the  patient,  who  will  plainly  exhibit  his  disgust 
at  the  unsavoury  mess  by  standing  back  away  from  it  as  far 
as  possible. 

The  following  is  a  good  mash  for  horses  in  ordinary  work 
which,  on  the  supposition  that  they  rest  on  Sundays,  as  they 
ought  to  do,  may  be  given  with  great  advantage  for  the  last 
feed  on  Saturday  night.  Place  half  a  pint  of  well-cleaned 
linseed  in  a  porcelain-lined  or  enamelled  saucepan,  pour  on 
it  one  quart  of  boiling  water,  cover  up  closely,  and  leave  to 
soak  for  three  or  four  hours.  At  the  same  time  pour  boil- 
ing water  on  a  very  clean,  sweet,  bucket,  half  full  of  fresh 
bran,  till  well  saturated,  then  closely  cover  up.  When 
reduced  to  milk  heat,  make  a  hole  in  the  middle  of  the 
mash  to  receive  the  linseed  jelly,  and  thoroughly  mix  the 
whole  mass. 

Some  horses  shy  of  bran  will  greedily  devour  a  mash 
made  of  malt ;  this  mixture  may  be  substituted,  and  will 
be  found  grateful,  after  a  long  tiring  day,  a  chill,  or  when 
recovering  from  illness. 

Of  all  roots  those  most  relished  by  horses  are  carrots^ 
Parsnips  are   too   fattening.      Swedes,   excellent   for  farm 


2o8  HORSEMANSHIP. 


teams,  are  the  best  when  given  in  large  quantities.  j\Ian- 
golds  are  good  in  spring-time,  when  other  roots  deteriorate. 
Kohl-rabi,  excellent  for  brood  mares  as  a  milk-producer, 
should  have  no  place  in  the  riding-stable,  and  potatoes  are 
not  to  be  thought  of.  For  horses  doing  fast  work  the 
quantity  given  should  never  be  large.  I  have  heard  carrots 
objected  to  as  producing  eruption  on  the  skin.  Such  is  not 
my  experience.  If  they  produce  any  blotches,  then  that 
eruption  is  better  out  than  in.  Moderately  used  they  are 
sen-iceable,  are  much  relished  by  both  well  and  ailing 
horses,  and  are  nutritious  and  appetizing.  If  given  too 
freely  they  interrupt  the  formation  and  maintenance  of 
muscle,  and  lower  condition.  London  coachmen  and 
grooms  are  very  fond  of  getting  the  permission  of  their 
employers  to  purchase  carrots  largely,  but  it  is  more  than 
suspected  that  the  succulent  root  finds  its  way  into  the 
family  all-a-blaze  pan,  and  not  into  the  manger.  Not  a  few 
give  carrots,  cut  into  fingers,  along  with  the  corn,  thinking 
to  tempt  shy  feeders,  but  the  carrots  are  picked  out  by  the 
horse,  and  the  oats  rejected ;  to  avoid  this  the  roots  should 
be  pulped.  Carrots,  if  stored  in  dry  sand  in  a  dry  cool 
place,  will  keep  a  long  time.  My  experience  of  this  green 
food  is  that  a  small  daily  allowance,  in  summer  especially, 
acts  much  in  the  same  manner  as  a  salad  does  with  us,  and 
that  it  keeps  horses  from  getting  stale,  stiff,  husky,  and  hide- 
bound, also  that  it  helps  to  keep  the  wind  right.  That  it 
keeps  the  system  cool  and  open  cannot  be  doubted. 

We  now  come  to  that  important  portion  of  the  horse's 
dietary,  hay.  The  quantity  required  per  diem  varies  with 
many  circumstances,  and  must  be  governed  by  the  size  of 
the  animal,  the  quantity  of  other  food  he  is  getting,  the 
nature  of  the  work,  and  the  quality  of  the  hay.  The 
nutritious  materials  found  in  hay  vary  from  six  to  fourteen 


FEEDIXG.  209 


per  cent.  It  should,  for  every  description  of  horse,  invari- 
ably be  of  the  very  best  quality,  nothing  should  induce  the 
owner  to  let  even  a  pound  of  anything  but  old,  fragrant, 
sweet  hay  of  good  colour  enter  the  stable.  Such  as  has  got 
wet  in  the  making,  and  has  heated  or  moulded  in  the  stack 
— "mow-burnt,"  as  it  is  termed — is  pernicious,  and  the  pro- 
lific cause  of  broken  wind,  coughs,  indigestion,  and  diabetes. 
Too  soft  hay  is  generally  that  made  from  the  second  cut,  or 
aftermath,  and  is,  therefore,  devoid  of  nutrition.  The  best 
hay  is  that  grown  on  upland  well-drained  strong  clay ;  the 
worst  that  from  water  meadows.  Good  sound  chopped  oat 
straw  is  preferable  to  second-class  hay.  In  order  to  insure 
the  proper  portion  of  hay  going  with  each  feed  of  corn, 
it  should  be  chaffed  and  mixed  with  the  bruised  oats, 
etc.  j  if  fed  from  the  rack,  a  proceeding  often  endanger- 
ing the  horse's  eyes  from  falling  seeds  and  dust,  then  not 
more  than  three  pounds  should  be  placed  in  the  rack  at 
one  time. 

Clover  hay,  when  well  made  and  leafy,  is  much  liked, 
nutritious,  and  fattening.  It  is  easily  spoiled  by  rain. 
Better  still  is  that  made  from  sainfoin^  and  lucerne,  very 
much  appreciated  by  horses  when  green  and  in  flower,  is 
the  best  of  the  three.  In  India  I  have  made  superlatively 
good  hay  from  lucerne,  cuttmg  five  crops,  annually,  to  the 
acre. 

Linseed  contains  a  large  quantity  of  heat-producing 
matter,  and  is  usually  given,  as  suggested,  in  conjunction 
with  scalded  bran,  mixed  with  other  substances.  It  is  very 
fattening,  keeps  the  bowels  open,  and  greatly  improves  the 
coat.  A  mixture  of  oatmeal  and  linseed  gruels  is  much 
relished  by  horses  suffering  from  debility  or  convalescing 
from  acute  disease. 

For  putting  an  extra-polish  on  the  coat  there  is  nothing 


HORSEMANSHIP. 


next  to  health  and  careful  grooming,  like  bruised  sit?iflower 
seed.  The  locust^  or  carob  lean,  has  a  modified,  though 
similar,  effect,  and  is  largely  used  in  the  preparation  of 
horse  condiments,  being  full  of  saccharine  matter.  Both 
these  seeds  must  be  spUt  or  ground,  and  not  more  than  half 
a  pint  given  in  a  feed. 

Lentils,  or  tares,  are  both  nutritious  and  digestible,  though 
slightly  bitter  in  taste.  When  ripe,  and  given  sparingly  in 
conjunction  with  oats  or  barley,  they  answer  admirably  with 
some  light-hearted  horses.  Excessively  nervous  animals 
derive  much  benefit  from  bulky  succulent  food. 

AVhen  a  horse  is  being  "summered,"  i,e.  laid  up  in 
summer  for  temporary  rest,  lameness,  or  other  causes,  green 
food  is  absolutely  necessary.  He  wants  "letting  down," 
and  a  radical  change  of  diet,  something  that  will  clear  the 
whole  system,  yet  nourish  him. 

Lastly,  when  writing  of  green  foods,  hay,  or  that  more 
modern  preparation  known  as  silage,  I  must  put  in  a  strong 
word  or  two  for  the  new  forage  plant,  Lathynis  Sylvestris, 
which,  in  the  opinion  of  Professor  Chas.  F.  Hope,  of  the 
Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society,— an  opinion  based  on 
careful  analysis  of  plants  grown  by  the  society— shows  that 
in  the  green  condition,  weight  for  weight,  it  is  in  feeding 
quality  worth  double  that  of  any  other  fodder  plant,  "  twice 
as  co7icentratcd  as  any  green  food  knownr  To  those  of 
my  readers  who  are  landed  proprietors  I  strongly  recom- 
mend the  cultivation  of  this  most  valuable  addition  to  our 
stock  of  fodder  plants,  which  is  of  vigorous,  though  at  first 
slow,  growth,  robust,  and  a  very  hea\7  cropper,  producing 
seventeen  tons  to  the  acre.  The  hay  reminds  one  of  the 
composition  of  cotton-cake,  with  the  attraction  of  a  delicious 
aroma,  and  the  sweet  silage  has  "a  nose"  on  it  quite  equal 
to   the   esse   bouquet  of  prime   clover.     It   may  safely  be 


FEEDLYG.  211 


predicted  for  Lathynis  that,  at  no  distant  date,  it  will  prove 
the  sheet-anchor  of  the  horse-breeder  and  horse-owner. 

Having  hurriedly  glanced  at  the  various  foods  at  our 
disposal,  we  would  now  call  attention  to  water  and  watermg. 
In  a  state  of  nature,  when  water  is  within  reach,  horses 
never  want  such  an  immoderate  quantity  as  to  unfit  them 
for  active  work  at  any  moment.  Epicures  as  to  their  food, 
they  are  doubly  so  on  the  question  of  water.  An  Arab 
horse  of  the  highest  caste — a  Seglawiah  Jedran,  Manhagy 
Hudree,  or  other  patrician  of  Nejd  or  Mesopotamia — 
always,  it  is  said,  troubles  the  water  with  his  forefeet  before 
slaking  his  burning  thirst.  The  mobs  of  Australia  have 
their  favourite  water-holes.  Here  in  our  more  favoured 
pastures  our  fenced-in  horses  have  their  favourite  spring 
or  rivulet,  the  effect  of  which  on  their  condition  is  dis- 
tinctly noticeable,  and  which  they  will  drink  copiously 
or  almost  reject.  The  cold  chalky  water  of  Epsom  has 
militated  against  the  prowess  of  many  an  aspirant  for  Derby 
honours,  has  robbed  many  a  sterling  good  racer  of  "the 
blue  riband  of  the  turf."  The  groom's  common  practice 
is  to  water  twice  a  day — at  each  time  a  copious  draught. 
When  being  fed  on  dry  corn  and  dry  hay,  the  horse,  un- 
doubtedly, should  have  clean,  and,  if  possible,  soft  or  river 
water  always  within  his  reach.  Like  ourselves,  he  is  liable 
to  derangements  of  the  stomach,  and  seeks  a  remedy  in 
copious  draughts  of  water;  the  means  to  slake  his  thirst 
should  therefore  be  permanently  at  hand.  If  an  arrange- 
ment for  continual  access  to  water  be  inconvenient,  then 
offer  it  to  the  horse  three  or  four  times  a  day.  The 
quantity  cannot  be  stated,  it  is  best  to  let  him  drink  what 
he  fancies,  giving  it  an  hour  before  feeding,  commencing 
early  in  the  morning. 
■    The  following  rules  should  be  observed  : — 


HORSE  MA  NSHIF. 


Never  water  when  the  horse  is  heated,  or  on  the  point  of 
any  extraordinary  exertion. 

Much  water  before  severe  work  is  obviously  injurious. 
Horses  going  out  hunting  should  have,  contrary  to  general 
rule,  a  drink,  but  a  limited  one,  at  their  usual  hour;  they 
generally  have  some  miles  to  go  quietly  to  cover. 

After  heavy  work,  or  hard  galloping,  the  chill  should  be 
taken  off  the  water,  and  a  handful  or  two  of  oatmeal 
thrown  in. 

Cold  water  should  be  sparingly  given  to  horses  liable  to 
colic  or  gripes,  and  never  to  those  recovering  from  physic. 
Very  cold  water  is  liable  to  disagree  with  any  stable-fed 
horse. 

If  a  horse  has  fasted  long,  give  him  water  in  very  small 
quantities,  and  frequently. 

Hard  spring  water  may  be  softened  with  bran. 

When  on  a  journey,  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  let  the 
horse  have  half  a  dozen  swallows  occasionally,  giving  him  a 
good  long  drink  whc  i  within  a  mile  or  so  of  home ;  the  last 
half-mile  should  be  [  erformed  at  a  walk. 

Be  very  careful  never  to  water  at  public  drinking  troughs, 
to  which  every  description  of  road  horse  has  access. 
Many  infectious  diseases,  such  as  ozcena,  epizootic  catarrh, 
farcy,  and  that  fell  disease  glanders,  are  easily  contracted 
this  way. 

When  a  horse  is  found  to  be  "off  his  feed,"  have  a  look 
into  his  manger.  Many  grooms  are  culpably  negligent  in 
cleaning  out  this  food  receptacle.  Probably  it  will  be 
found  to  contain  the  remains  of  the  last  mash  in  a  sour,  vile- 
smelHng  condition,  quantities  of  half  masticated  "quidded" 
food,  dust,  and  gravel  j  or  the  oats  and  hay  may  be  musty. 
Corn  contractors  want  a  vast  deal  of  looking  after.     When 


FEEDIXG.  213 


no  palpable  reason  for  refusing  food  exists,  the  horse's 
mouth  should  be  examined  for  decayed  teeth.  Horses 
suffer  from  toothache,  swelled,  inflamed,  and  painful  gums, 
in  much  the  same  way  as  we  do.  I  have  seen  the  eye  blood- 
shot and  watery  in  sympathy  with  a  decayed  upper  molar. 
A  swelling  of  the  bars  of  the  mouth  behind  the  front  teeth, 
called  lampas,  is  common  with  young  horses  shedding  their 
teeth ;  with  old  ones  it  is  a  sign  of  disordered  stomach. 
This  complaint,  more  or  less  painful,  interferes  with  feeding 
and  chewing,  frequently  producing  feverishness.  Some 
grooms  recommend  burning,  others  lance  the  swellings 
freely,  many  rub  salt  well  in,  barbarous  treatment  worthy 
the  ordinary  run  of  stablemen.  In  such  a  case,  gruel, 
mashes,  linseed,  boiled  oats,  etc.,  must  be  substituted  for 
the  ordinary  hard  feed,  and  a  little  cooling  medicine  will 
soon  bring  the  sufferer  back  to  his  feed.  If  no  such  causes 
for  the  horse  refusing  his  food  can  be  traced,  then  a  qualified 
veterinary  surgeon  must  be  called  in ;  in  any  case  of  dental 
surgery  his  services  would  be  necessary.  The  horse's  teeth 
often  want  looking  to.  Sometimes  a  supernumerary  tooth 
— known  as  a  "wolfs  tooth" — makes  its  appearance  in 
front  of  the  molars  on  either  jaw,  interferes  with  chewing, 
and  must  be  extracted.  The  molars  are  often  irregular, 
with  long,  sharp  and  jagged  edges,  causing  wounds  on  the 
inside  of  the  cheeks,  and  cutting  the  tongue.  These  painful 
protrusions  require  to  be  rasped  down.  The  instruments 
used  in  the  removal  of  these  irregularities  should  be  handled 
by  the  veterinary  surgeon  alone. 

The  best  bedding,  in  my  opinion,  is  a  reddish-yellow, 
springy,  fibrous  description  oi  peat  moss  well  teased  and 
carefully  freed  from  dust.  It  may  not  be  so  sightly  and 
attractive  as  bright  straw,  but  it  lasts  longer,  is  cheaper,  if 
kept  dry  is  better  for  the  feet,  and  the  horse  rests  longer 


214  HORSEMANSHIP. 


on  it.  Much  of  the  dark  sepia-coloured  moss  Htter  now 
sold  of  German  and  Dutch  manufacture  is  taken  too  low 
down  from  the  surface  of  the  bog,  has  lost  all  its  elasticity, 
most  of  its  powers  of  absorption,  and  is  quite  unfit  for 
bedding.  That  from  some  of  the  Irish  bogs,  when  properly 
prepared,  is  of  superlative  quality,  and  fully  answers  all  the 
requirements  of  a  thoroughly  good  litter.  Horses  will  not 
eat  it,  and  that  is  one  point  of  importance.  By  selling  the 
used  bedding  as  manure  one  omnibus  company  bedded  their 
horses  for  nothing,  and  made,  moreover,  a  profit  on  the 
transaction.  No  drains  are  required  when  moss  litter  is 
used. 

Always  keep  a  lump  of  rock  salt,  and  one  of  chalk,  in  the 
manger. 

On  a  journey  the  horse's  feed  may  be  increased  from 
one-third  to  one-half. 

Never  let  a  horse  be  groomed  when  feeding. 

Avoid  artificial  physic  as  much  as  possible.  Tslany 
grooms  are  constantly  doctoring  their  horses,  giving  con- 
dition balls,  powders,  and  such  like  poisonous  rubbish. 
Especially  partial  are  they  to  diuretic  balls,  a  frequent 
cause  of  inflammation  of  the  kidneys.  Arsenic,  judiciously 
administered,  is  very  valuable  in  improving  and  "satiuizing  " 
the  horse's  skin ;  it  improves  the  appetite,  and  helps  to  get 
any  unthrifty  horse  into  condition,  so  these  groom-doctors 
give  it  constantly,  and  in  dangerous  quantities,  not  un- 
frequently — vide  police-court  reports — causing  death. 

Of  white  oils,  black  drinks,  alterative  powders,  and  the 
numerous  drinks  of  the  wholesale  or  retail  farm  and  stable 
drug  vendor,  I  have  a  horror.  Some  owners  are  constantly 
using  these  much  puffed  "  sovereign  remedies,"  external  and 
internal,  doing  incalculable  mischief.  Many  of  the  quack 
liniments  and  embrocations  are  worthless,  others  the  stable- 


FEEDIXG. 


man  can  compound  for  himself.  A  widely-advertised 
remedy  for  sprains,  curbs,  sore  throats,  rheumatism,  and  a 
score  of  other  ills  is  nothing  more  than  turpentine,  acetic 
acid,  and  white  of  ^gg^  and  can  be  made  up  for  a  tithe  of 
what  is  charged  for  it.  Sequah's  embrocation  is  said  to  be 
a  mixture  of  turpentine  and  fish  oil,  and  the  main  in- 
gredient in  Jacob's  oil  is  turpentine. 

All  spiced  foods  I  abhor.  ^Mellin's  food  is  excellent  for 
horses  recovering  from  serious  illness,  and  especially  so  in 
the  case  of  foals. 

The  importance  of  grooming o.-^xmoth^  overrated.  There 
is  an  old  maxim,  "  a  good  cleaning  is  equal  to  a  feed  of 
corn."  There  is  a  close  connection  between  the  skin  and 
the  digestive  organs.  Mr.  Armitage  mentions  the  good 
produced  on  fourteen  colliery  horses  and  ponies  cared  for 
by  an  infirm  horse-keeper,  dressing  them  with  a  coarse 
brush  morning  and  evening.  "  His  horses  and  ponies," 
wrote  that  able  veterinary,  "  would  have  caused  many  owners 
of  animals  above  ground  to  blush  with  shame  at  their 
superior  condition  and  shining  skins.  They  were  always 
doing  equal  work  with  the  animals  of  other  collieries,  but 
suffered  least  of  all ^  and  consumed  the  least  corn."  The  proof 
of  the  dirt  and  perspiration  having  been  properly  removed, 
and  of  the  due  application  of  "  elbow  grease,"  will  be  found 
in  the  shining  coat,  which,  when  stroked  down,  will  not  soil 
the  most  delicate  tinted  kid  glove.  Grooms  are  very  fond 
of  using  water  in  cleaning,  not  in  thoroughly  washing,  the 
horse ;  it  saves  trouble  as  compared  with  wisp  or  brush. 
All  cleaning  out  of  doors  should  be  strictly  forbidden. 
When  the  legs  are  dirty,  instead  of  turning  on  a  stream  of 
cold  water,  whilst  the  horse  is  standing  wearied  and  perhaps 
shivering,  the  best  plan  is  to  use  a  brush  and  cold  water  up 
to  the  knees  in  summer,  lukewarm  in  winter,  with  a  little 


2 1 6  HORSEMANSHIP. 


soap  ;  then  thoroughly  dry  with  a  sponge  and  coarse  cloth, 
putting  on  warm  woollen  bandages  to  prevent  chill.  I 
prefer  cloths  and  bandages  made  of  peat-wool,  a  new 
manufacture,  the  fabric  being  so  very  absorbent.  The 
saddle  should  not  be  removed,  only  the  girths  loosened,  till 
the  back  be  cool  and  dry.  If,  on  the  saddle  being  taken 
off,  the  part  of  the  back  on  which  it  has  rested  be  quite  dry, 
save  on  one  or  two  distinct  isolated  spots,  the  numnah,  or, 
in  the  absence  of  that  saddle-cloth,  the  stuffing  of  the  saddle 
should  be  carefully  examined,  for  these  patches  indicate 
galls.  After  a  hard  day's  work,  the  main  object  is  to  get 
the  horse  dry  and  comfortable,  with  the  least  possible  fuss 
and  delay,  so  that  he  may  rest.  The  coat,  when  saturated 
with  rain  or  perspiration,  should  first  be  scraped  and 
thoroughly  rubbed  dry  with  relays  of  large  soft  straw  wisps  ; 
that  done,  the  horse  should  be  clothed  and  left  to  himself. 

In  "  dressing  "  a  horse  a  stiff  body-brush  is  generally  em- 
ployed, but  the  hardness  of  this  brush  makes  all  the  dif- 
ference to  the  animal.  Many  high  bred  horses  having  very 
thin  and  highly  sensitive  skins,  are  ticklish  in  parts,  and  are 
unable  to  bear  a  sharp  penetrating  bristle.  This  is  very 
generally  the  case  with  high  caste  Arabs,  who  are  pro- 
verbially "  thin-skinned."  ]Many  a  horse  is  often  made 
vicious  by  the  application  of  a  too  hard  brush.  I  approve 
highly  of  the  glove,  much  used  in  India,  made  of  cocoa-nut 
fibre,  which  has  an  excellent  effect  on  the  skin. 

A  strong  strapper  should  work  at  least  an  hour  a  day  on 
each  horse  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  usual  exercise  and 
work. 

Should  a  horse  be  given  to  biting  during  the  process  of 
cleaning,  put  in  his  mouth  a  large  wooden  bit,  or  a  chain 
bit  covered  over  with  rubber.  It  must  be  of  such  diameter 
that  he  cannot  close  his  mouth  on  it. 


FEEDING.  217 


A  tired  animal  will  be  greatly  refreshed  by  having  the 
channel  between  the  buttocks  and  the  inside  of  the  thighs 
well  sponged  out. 

If  a  horse  is  very  awkward  to  dress,  put  on  knee  caps, 
and  strap  up  one  of  his  fore  legs.  Do  not  keep  one  leg 
strapped  up  more  than  ten  minutes  ;  release  that  leg  and  go 
round  to  the  other  side.  Many  horses  make  a  show  of  vice 
when  being  cleaned,  lay  their  ears  back,  lift  a  hind  leg,  and 
make  pretence  of  playing  the  tiger,  whereas  it  is  mere 
"  kittleness,"  or  play.  A  really  dangerous  brute  bites  and 
kicks  without  warning. 

Thoroughly  ivashing  horses  when  home  from  hunting  or 
in  the  summer  is  to  be  recommended.  Nothing,  moreover, 
brings  a  long-neglected  skin  more  quickly  into  good  order. 
More  than  one  man  is  required  to  carry  out  this  operation 
as  thoroughly  and  speedily  as  is  necessary,  and  it  should 
always  be  performed  with  warm  water,  in  a  loose  box 
guarded  against  draughts.  Very  warm  water  will  deprive 
the  coat  of  its  gloss.  I  always  use  a  lather  of  good  soap, 
as  free  as  possible  from  alkalies,  and  lukewarm  rain  water, 
rubbing  the  lather  well  in,  especially  along  the  roots  of  the 
mane  and  tail,  with  the  cocoanut-fibre  glove  already  men- 
tioned. If  no  soft  water  be  obtainable,  a  big  spoonful  of 
Californian  borax  may  be  thrown  into  the  bucket.  The 
lather  is  scraped  off  with  a  piece  of  flat  bamboo,  or  with  a 
blunted  toothless,  spring-curry-comb  (Spratt's  patent),  and 
the  horse  well  washed  down  with  a  large  sponge  so  that  no 
suds  remain.  He  is  then  dried  as  speedily  as  possible  and, 
weather  permitting,  is  walked  smartly  about  in  the  sun.  In 
the  case  of  a  long-neglected  skin,  the  horse  should  be 
freely  sweated  before  being  washed,  and  hotter  water  used. 
Hunters  must,  of  course,  be  dried  in  the  loose  box  and  at 
once  clothed. 


2i8  HORSEMANSHIP. 


The  quantity  of  clothing  depends  on  circumstances.  My 
opinion  is  that  in  order  to  keep  up  a  good  coat,  one  with 
"  the  Pigburn  polish  "  on  it,  the  stable  being,  as  it  ought  to 
be,  cool  and  thoroughly  ventilated,  to  a  certain  extent  horses 
must  be  kept  warm  with  clothing.  Nature  provides  them 
with  a  long  and  thick  winter  coat,  according  to  their  breeds, 
and  this  w^e  clip  or  singe  off,  leaving  the  animals  as  bare  as 
a  freshly  scalded  porker.  Thus  denuded  of  their  coats. 
I  am  not  railing  at  the  very  necessary  practice — we  must 
restore  the  covering  in  some  form  or  another,  but  there  is  no 
occasion  to  do  so  with  compound  interest  in  the  form  of 
super-heated  stuffy  stables  and  piles  of  heavy  blankets.  The 
circulation  of  the  blood  of  any  horse,  and  especially  of  one 
consuming  large  quantities  of  flesh-forming  and  heat  produc- 
ing food,  enables  him  to  withstand  transitions  from  heat  to 
cold,  and  degrees  of  cold  without  injury  or  suffering,  such  as 
may  make  us  shiver  to  think  of.  Comfort  is  all  that  is 
necessary ;  in  all  cases  the  golden  mean  between  too  much 
and  too  little  should  be  the  hit,  and  that  mean  will  best  be  in- 
dicated by  the  sheen  of  the  coat  and  the  warmth  apparent  to 
the  hand  when  thrust  between  the  rug  and  the  coat.  A 
horse's  warmth  ought,  to  a  great  extent,  to  proceed  from  his 
"  body  lining  " — his  food.  I  do  not  advocate  a  cold  stable, 
and  stipulate  for  a  comfortable^  and  above  all,  a  thoroughly 
dry  one.  We  must  bear  in  mind  that  gentlemen's  and 
ladies'  horses  are  in  their  stables,  taking  one  day  with 
another,  possibly  twenty  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four,  and 
that  when  breathing  the  open  air  they  are  at  work.  Conse- 
quently, the  proper  warmth  and  purity  of  the  air  they  breathe 
in  the  stable  is  a  matter  of  vital  importance.  In  these  days 
of  sanitary  engineering  there  can  be  no  difficulty  in  securing 
a  system  of  ventilation  which,  without  creating  draughts, 
will  let  impure  air  out  and  pure  air  in,     The  warmth  of  an 


FEEDING.  219 


air  fouled  by  repeated  breathing  is  a  blood  poison.  Burn- 
ing gas  unduly  heats  the  air  and  contaminates  it.  "Scruta- 
tor," whose  opinions  are  always  worthy  of  being  taken  to 
heart,  wrote,  "  I  had  much  rather  keep  a  horse  in  a  barn 
during  the  winter  months,  with  good  warm  clothing,  than 
in  such  a  place  as  our  common  stables  ;  and  I  am  quite 
satisfied  he  would  enjoy  better  health,  and  be  less  liable  to 
catch  cold,  or  subject  to  diseases  of  any  kind,  and  would  do 
much  more  work,  than  any  hot-house  plant." 

There  is  a  great  deal  too  much  bandaging  in  our  stables. 
In  the  case  of  cold  damp  legs  broad  flannel  bandages,  four 
to  five  yards  long,  may  be  rolled  on  loosely  and  evenly,  but 
should  never  remain  on  longer  than  four  or  five  hours. 
When  removed  the  legs  must  be  rapidly  but  lightly  hand- 
rubbed.  During  continuous  wet  weather,  when  the  roads 
are  muddy,  or  in  the  hunting  season,  what  is  termed  "clay 
fever,"  an  affection  of  the  skin  of  the  legs,  may  to  some 
extent  be  warded  off  by,  in  lieu  of  washing  the  legs,  on  the 
horse's  return  to  the  stable,  putting  on  rough  thick  woollen 
bandages,  or  those  of  peat-wool,  and  letting  them  remain 
on  whilst  he  is  being  cleaned.  The  mud  will  thus  harden 
and  peel  off,  any  remaining  being  brushed  off.  Wet  linen 
bandages,  soaked  in  arnica  lotion  (mix  one  fluid  ounce  of 
tincture  of  arnica  with  fifteen  of  water),  are  of  great  use 
in  averting  a  tendency  to  enlargement  of,  or  heat  in  the 
back  tendons,  so  common  after  hard  work  :  they  must  be 
kept  constantly  saturated. 

Dark  stables  injuriously  aftect  the  eyesight.  White 
glazed  wall  tiles  over  the  manger  have  a  similar  tendency. 

Never  allow  the  groom  to  cut  or  pull  the  long  hairs  out 
of  the  horse's  ears. 

If  a  horse  comes  home  very  tired  rub,  pull,  and  dry  his 
ears  well.     Should  he  when  once  dry  break  out  again  into 


220  HORSEMANSHIP. 


a  perspiration — "break  out"  as  it  is  termed— walk  him 
about  a  bit  briskly,  and  set  the  groom  again  to  work  on 
him  with  the  straw  wisp. 

Never  permit  the  grooms  to  speak  harshly  or  sharply  to 
their  charges,  and  see  that  the  words  of  command,  "come 
over,''  or  "  come  round,"  are  given  quietly  and  unac- 
companied with  any  flick  of  the  leather  or  towel. 

Visit  the  stables  frequently  when  the  horses  are  out  at 
exercise,  examine  them  carefully  generally  and  see  that  the 
drains  are  in  good  order.  Some  of  McDougall's,  Condy's, 
or  other  disinfectant,  should  be  sprinkled  on  the  surface 
runs  daily,  and  subsequently  washed  into  the  reservoir.  If 
peat  litter  be  used  make  the  helper  rake  away  all  damp 
portions  to  be  dried  in  the  air. 

If  any  man  be  found  striking  a  horse  with  a  fork  or 
broom-handle,  dismiss  him  on  the  spot. 

Constantly  overhaul  saddlery  and  stable  gear.  Do  not 
let  old  clothing  be  thrown  away ;  it  will  come  in  handy  for 
sick  horses.  Never  buy  second-hand  clothing  unless  you 
know  who  its  former  owner  was.  I  once  invested  in  a  lot, 
and  every  animal  in  the  stable  got  ring-worm.  Clothing 
not  in  use  should  be  well  brushed,  folded,  and  put  away  in 
a  press ;  that  in  use  should  be  well  beaten  and  shaken  out- 
side the  stable  and  aired  once  a  week.  Muzzles  should 
always  have  a  throat-latch  attached  to  them.  Do  not 
permit  "dressing  muzzles"  in  the  stable.  Note  that  the 
beds  of  the  rollers,  where  they  pass  over  the  spine,  are  so 
stuffed  that  there  is  a  clear  channel,  and  that  they  do  not 
rest  on  the  ridge. 

A  groom's  absolute  requisites — he  will  indent  for  every- 
thing in  the  saddler's  shop  if  allowed  to  have  his  own  way- 
are  :  bucket,  body-brush,  burnisher,  a  broom,  bandages, 
curry-comb  (Spratt's  patent  is  the  best),  chamois  leather, 


FEEDING.  221 


Beeswax       .     .     . 

.      2  oz. 

Burgundy  Pitch     . 

.       2  oz. 

Venice  Turpentine 

.       2  OZ. 

^VhaleOil   .     .     . 

.   I  pint 

Verdigris      .      .     . 

.     I  oz. 

Resin      .... 

.     I  oz. 

corn-sieve,  dandriff  or  dander  brush,  dusters,  manure 
basket,  measures  for  corn,  mane  comb,  picker,  pitchfork, 
sponges,  and  shovel.  He  should  also  be  supplied  with  a 
small  supply  of  tow  and  Stockholm  tar;  rock  salt  to  re- 
plenish that  in  the  mangers;  saddle  soap;  chalk  in  the 
lump,  which,  being  an  antacid,  it  is  good  for  horses  to  lick; 
also  a  jar  of  the  following  hoof-ointment  which  will  be 
found  invaluable  in  preventing  the  far  too  common  disease 
called  thrush. 

rvlix  all  the  ingredients  well 
together.  Rub  well  in  all 
.round  the  hoofs  and  soles,  also 
work  into  the  clefts  of  the 
frogs. 

A  subject  of  equal  importance  with  feeding  is  Exercise 
and  Work.  No  horse  can  be  in  good  health  or  condition 
without  at  least  two  hours  a  day  exercise  unless  he  be  at 
regular  work.  As  a  rule  the  horses  of  "the  upper  ten 
thousand"  get  far  too  little  work.  Provided  he  be  not 
over-taxed  as  to  pace  and  effort,  the  more  a  well-fed  horse 
is  out  in  the  open  air  at  a  brisk  walk,  with  an  occasional 
trot,  the  better.  What  work  is  done  by  a  large  majority  of 
ladies'  and  gentlemen's  hacks  amounts  actually  to  mere 
exercise;  no  wonder  then  that  they  becomxC  overloaded 
with  fat  and  a  burden  to  themselves.  A  corn-fed  horse  is 
capable  of  doing  long  and  continuous  work  for  years  and 
of  keeping  his  condition  on  it.  Mr.  Armitage  mentions 
the  case  of  a  Scotch  mare,  "Maggie  Lauder."  When  the 
fly-boats  plied  between  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh  on  the 
Forth  and  Clyde  Canal,  this  old  mare  was  stationed  to  run 
between  Port  Dundas  and  Glasgow  Bridge,  a  distance  of 
eight  miles,  the  time  allowed  being  one  hour.  After  a  rest 
of  one  hour,  the  return  journey  to  Port  Dundas  was  made, 


222  HORSEMANSHIP. 


and  in  the  afternoon  she  performed  the  whole  distance 
over  again,  tlius  travelling  and  drawing  the  boat  thirty-two 
miles  per  diem.  The  person  from  whom  this  information 
was  obtained  rode  the  mare  daily,  during  the  time  she  per- 
formed the  work  alluded  to  six  days  in  the  week,  and  stated 
that  Maggie  was  never  sick  nor  sorry  a  single  day,  nor  ever 
had  a  day's  rest  in  addition  to  the  usual  Sunday,  i  When  the 
boats  were  superseded  by  the  "iron  horse"  the  game  old 
lady  was  sold  at  the  age  of  tzventy-ni7ie  years.  Were  our 
pampered,  coddled  nags  subjected  to  ^Maggie  Lauder's 
daily  round  there  would  be  less  colic,  less  acute  founder, 
less  weed,  and  fewer  ailing  horses.  The  Duke  of  West- 
minster insists  on  "  Bend  Or  "'  traveUing  one  hundred  miles 
every  week  of  his  life,  the  consequence  is  that  this  almost 
faultless  sire  can  be  seen  enjoying  himself  in  the  famous 
Eaton  paddocks,  the  picture  of  health  and  condition,  as 
playful  as  a  colt. 

When  practicable  the  exercise  ground  should  be  under 
the  owner's  eye.  Orders  on  the  subject  of  exercising 
should  be  strict  and  enforced.  Unless  under  the  eye  of 
the  master  or  trusty  stud  groom,  servants  are  not  to  be 
implicitly  trusted,  and  have  a  decided  leaning  to  selecting 
roads  garnished  with  public-houses.  A  piece  of  sound 
well-drained  turf  is  preferable  to  the  hard  high  road. 


CymmJr.Qs  C  n ^ry  Medicine  gfi 

If^ortli  Gravtuii.  wiw^  01636 


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